Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
156. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the consultation of the ‘working age payment’ model mentioned in the Green Paper on Disability Reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54243/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department offers different in-work supports to people availing of means tested or social insurance disability payments.
People in receipt of Disability Allowance and Blind Pension can avail of an earnings disregard. This allows recipients to keep their full payment up to an earnings limit of €165 per week, and to keep a partial payment and all secondary benefits up to earnings of €495.10.
People in receipt of Invalidity Pension are not allowed to work under the rules of the scheme. They can transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit to enter or return to employment and continue to receive a proportion of their previous payment for a period of time. Recipients are assigned to one of three levels of payment and there is no limit to how much they can earn from employment in addition to their payment.
The main proposal of the Green Paper is to introduce a single, three-tiered Personal Support Payment. This is to ensure all people with disabilities on long-term disability payments are treated the same, whether on a contributory and non-contributory payment.
Under the tiered model, it is proposed to move to a Working Age Payment type model, similar to the Working Family Payment. This would provide a minimum income guarantee and allow people with disabilities who take up work to continue to receive a partial or reduced welfare payment. The value of this in-work support will be related to the level of their income from work. This means recipients who work will keep a percentage, for example 60%, of the difference between their employment income and a set level or threshold. The threshold has not been decided to date.
The Green Paper is a consultation document. It is not a final reform design. The Paper’s purpose is to invite discussion, debate, and suggestions through the public consultation.
This public consultation is ongoing. I encourage individuals and groups with an interest to make a submission in writing or by video by 15 March 2024.
I cannot comment on any submissions at this time. Following the close of the public consultation, the feedback from these submissions and the public consultation events will be reviewed, analysed and considered in the final proposal to Government. I engaged in similar consultation on pay-related benefit and pensions auto-enrolment which led to the revision of some key features. The same will apply here.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
