Other Social Welfare Payments

This page provides information on a range of other social welfare payments.

• Disability Allowance
• Illness Benefit
• Invalidity-pension
• One Parent Family Payment
• Carer's Allowance

 

- Disability Allowance

Disability Allowance is a means-tested payment for people with a specified disability whose income falls below certain limits and who are aged between 16 and under 66.

To quaify you must

• have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued, or may be expected to continue, for at least one year
• be substantially restricted from doing work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications
• be aged between 16 and 66. When you reach 66 years of age you no longer qualify for Disability Allowance, but you are assessed for a State Pension
• satisfy a means test (a test of your income and any income from your spouse or partner, and the results will be used to work out your rate of pay) and habitual residence conditions

For more information on Disability Allowance visit  www.gov.ie

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- Illness Benefit

Illness Benefit is a payment for people (under the age of 66) who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.

Illness Benefit is a scheme to support you if you cannot work in the short term if you are ill. Your illness must be certified by a doctor. Illness Benefit is not linked to your employer’s policy on pay for sick leave.

Illness Benefit is paid weekly. It can be paid Monday to Saturday depending on when the claim is registered and the first day of your illness.

You should claim Illness Benefit within 6 weeks of becoming ill. This applies whether your employer pays you or not while you are out sick from work. You also should be certified by a doctor from your first day of illness. If your instance of illness does not exceed your 5-day Statutory Sick Leave entitlement, you do not need to apply for Illness Benefit

For more informaton, see Illness Benefit or visit MyWelfare.ie

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- Invalidity Pension

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and are covered by social insurance (PRSI). At 66, you transfer automatically to the State Pension (Contributory) at the full rate. Invalidity Pension is taxable.

To qualify you must:

• have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months (you may have been getting Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance during that time) or
• be permanently incapable of work (in certain cases of very serious illness or disability, you can transfer directly from another social welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension).

For more information on Invalidity Pension visit www.gov.ie

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- One Parent Family Payment

One Parent Family Payment is a payment for people (under the age of 66) who are bringing children up, with their youngest child under 14, without the support of a partner.

To qualify for this payment you must meet certain conditions and you must satisfy a means test. One-Parent Family Payment is a taxable source of income.

For more information on One Parent Family Payment visit www.gov.ie

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- Carer's Allowance

Carers Allowance is a weekly payment to a person on low income who is looking after a person or child who needs fulltime care and attention because of age, disability or illness including mental illness.

For more information, see Carer's Allowance or visit MyWelfare.ie

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