Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1085. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the way that income from compulsory work as part of a PhD such as grading papers, teaching support and so on will affect disability support payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20911/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe system of social assistance supports provide payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.
By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital.
The means assessment can vary from scheme to scheme depending on the nature and purpose of the scheme. Sometimes a certain amount of income, or income from particular sources, is not taken into account for a particular scheme and these are usually referred to as income disregards.
Last year, I introduced a new disregard to allow Disability Allowance claimants to receive PhD scholarship awards from Irish universities, without impacting their Disability Allowance payment. It is subject to an annual limit of €20,000 per annum (i.e. if a recipient gets more than one bursary, the combination cannot exceed €20,000) and is available for a maximum of four years.
This was introduced in recognition of the additional costs and barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing further education.
Where a PhD student who is in receipt of Disability Allowance receives income from compulsory work as part of their course of study, or from any other employment, they can avail of a separate disregard which is designed to ensure that people with disabilities can participate in work while retaining a proportion of their social welfare payment.
This disregard allows claimants to earn up to €140 per week from employment or self-employment without their payment being affected, while half of weekly earnings between €140 and €350 are assessed (in June, the upper earnings limit will be increased to €375 per week). This income disregard aims to ensure that people with disabilities can participate in work while retaining a proportion of their social welfare payment.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
