Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
878. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are income supports for 65-year-olds who wish to continue working part-time hours, five days per week until they reach pension age of 66 years. [16619/23]
View answerThe main social welfare schemes for people who are unable to find full-time employment are the social insurance contribution-based Jobseeker's Benefit and the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance. These schemes allow a person to work up to three days per week, where they are fully unemployed for at least four in any seven consecutive days. Among the qualifying conditions for both schemes are that a person must be available for, and genuinely seeking full-time work.
Jobseeker's Benefit is a payment for people between 18 and 66 years of age who become fully or partly unemployed and have paid enough pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. A person must be unemployed for at least 4 in 7 consecutive days to be eligible for the payment.
A person in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) can work up for 3 days as an employee in insurable employment and retain their entitlement to the support.
For those who choose to retire at age 65 before the pension age of 66, the Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, provided under the Jobseeker's Benefit schemes, is available subject to satisfying the scheme conditionality. One of the qualifying conditions is that a person must no longer be engaged in employment or self-employment.
Jobseeker's Allowance is a social assistance payment for unemployed people who have not paid enough social insurance contributions and who are seeking full-time work. In order to qualify for this payment a person must be fully unemployed for at least 4 days in any period of 7 consecutive days. Earnings from employment are assessed as part of the means assessment.
A person can take up employment for 3 days per week and may still qualify for the support. Where a claimant or their spouse or partner has earnings from insurable employment and they are working 3 days per week, earnings are assessed as means. For each person there is a disregard of €60 per week or up to €20 for each day of unemployment and the balance is then assessed at 60%.
The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a tax free in-work support which provides an income top-up for low-earning employees with children under 18 (or between 18 and 22 if they are in full-time day education). Once awarded, Working Family Payment is generally payable for a minimum period of 52 weeks as long as the recipient continues to be engaged in paid employment as an employee for not less than 38 hours per fortnight with the same employer. There is no upper limit on the number of hours or days a person can work. The average total weekly family income must be below the relevant income threshold for the family's size. The payment is calculated at 60% of the difference between the total family income and the income for threshold that applies to the family, based on the number of children.
Finally, the means-tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is also available through the Community Welfare Service at the local Intreo Centre for any person who may need financial support.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
