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Disabilities Assessments

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Ceisteanna (601)

Claire Kerrane

Ceist:

601. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way that children aged over 16 years of age are currently assessed for the disability allowance from a means-testing perspective; if their personal income or their parents or overall household income is assessed; if she will provide the threshold boundaries which are used for means-testing for the disability allowance for those under 18 years of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14231/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Disability allowance (DA) is a means tested payment for people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. The applicant must be suffering from an injury, disease, congenital deformity or physical or mental illness or defect, which has lasted for one year or is expected to last for one year and as a result of which they are substantially restricted in undertaking work which would otherwise be suitable having regard to the person’s age, experience and qualifications.

When assessing an application for DA all applicants of qualifying age including those aged between 16 and 18 are assessed in the same way.  The household means or means of the applicants parents are not taken into account but if the DA applicant has a spouse or partner a joint means assessment is carried out.

The means threshold is made up of the persons total entitlement to DA; e.g. a single person's means threshold is €208.00 which is equal to the personal rate of DA payment. An applicant with a spouse or with dependent children would have increases for them added on to arrive at the threshold for the couple or family unit. The means threshold indicates the amount which the means cannot exceed in order for the person to qualify for some payment of DA.

The income threshold also depends on the persons circumstances and the source of any income as different types of income are assessed differently. There is a disregard available to the DA recipient from any employment income and  a capital disregard of €50,000.00 on any capital held.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

 

 

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