Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
536. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection when the criteria for partial capacity benefit were last evaluated; if there are any plans for a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73300/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to improving employment outcomes and removing barriers to employment for disabled people. The income and employment supports provided by the Department of Social Protection have been designed to enable people with disabilities to achieve their employment ambitions by focusing on the individual’s ability and capacity.
The Partial Capacity Benefit was launched on 13th February 2012. The scheme is designed to facilitate greater levels of participation by disabled people in the open labour market.
Partial Capacity Benefit provides an opportunity for people who are in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit for more than 6 months to avail of employment opportunities while continuing to receive an income support payment from the Department, in addition to their earnings from employment.
The personal rate of payment of Partial Capacity Benefit is based on a medical assessment of a person’s restriction regarding their capacity for work, whether the person was in receipt of Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension and their current rate of payment. After the medical assessment, if a person's disability is rated as moderate, severe or profound their previous payment continues at 50%, 75% or 100% respectively.
There is no limit to what people can earn or the number of hours worked on the payment. A person who participates on the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme may return to an Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension payment if, for example, the employment ceases or if the person cannot continue to work.
A person on Partial Capacity Benefit with an underlying entitlement to Invalidity Pension, can retain their Free Travel Pass for a period of five years.
A formal review of the Partial Capacity Benefit scheme was undertaken in 2015. However, I continue to keep the Department’s employment support schemes for disabled people, including the Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme, under review to ensure that they continue to meet their policy objectives.
As a result of Budget 2026, recipients of Partial Capacity Benefit received a Christmas bonus double week payment this month. In addition, I provided for a €10 increase in the maximum personal weekly rates of working age payments and recipients of Partial Capacity Benefit will see an associated increase in their payments increase from January. Those with children will also receive increased rates of Child Support Payment from January. Budget 2026 included the largest increases in the weekly Child Support Payment in the history of the State. There is a weekly increase of €16 to €78 for children aged 12 and over and, a weekly increase of €8 to €58 for children under 12.
In addition, the Wage Subsidy Scheme a scheme that offers financial incentive to employers to hire disabled people has been expanded recently to ensure it better supports those in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme is now available to those who acquire a disability or health condition in the last 12 months and return to work on Partial Capacity Benefit. In Budget 2026 I provided for a further expansion of the scheme so that in January 2026, those who have been on Invalidity Pension for any duration and transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit will be eligible for the subsidy.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
