The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 subsidised hours per week under a contract of employment. Since January 2022, the basic rate of subsidy is €6.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy of €12,776 per annum based on a 39-hour week. The rate of the subsidy increases when an employer employs 3 WSS participants or more. The subsidy is paid to the employer.
Over the past five years, the Wage Subsidy Scheme was allocated over €124 million and the amount drawn down by employers is over €101 million. The following table provides a breakdown of the Wage Subsidy Scheme funding allocated and the amount drawn down by employers per year
Year
|
WSS Budget
|
WSS Expenditure
|
2017
|
€25,900,000
|
€20,836,627
|
2018
|
€23,160,000
|
€22,321,024
|
2019
|
€24,720,000
|
€23,819,491
|
2020
|
€24,550,000
|
€18,356,000
|
2021
|
€25,980,000
|
€15,899,752*
|
* Appropriation accounts not yet complete for 2021
The scheme funding drawn down by employers from March 2020 is significantly reduced due to the Covid Pandemic as employers in receipt of the Revenue Employer Wage Subsidy Scheme could not claim the disability Wage Subsidy Scheme payments concurrently.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.