Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 February 2026
170. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection to intervene to ensure that no individuals are penalised as a result of a partner being granted the basic income for the artists (details supplied) for instance by causing a disqualification for disability allowance [15372/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to illness or disability.
Disability Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment for people with a disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to be eligible the disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the person must satisfy a habitual residency condition.
Social welfare legislation provides that for means-tested social assistance schemes, including Disability Allowance, all income and assets belonging to the claimant, and his or her spouse or partner where applicable, are assessable for means-testing purposes. A person's home is not included in the means assessment. The purpose of the means test is to ensure that resources are directed to those with the greatest need.
My Department treats income from pilot Basic Income for the Arts Scheme as income from self-employment for the purpose of its various means tests. We will treat income from the forthcoming new scheme in the same way. This means that where a scheme includes a disregard of a certain amount of income from self-employment, that disregard will be applied to income from the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme.
People on Disability Allowance and Blind Pension can take up employment or self-employment and continue to receive all or part of their payment, depending on their income. A person can earn up to €165 a week and keep their full rate payment. Earnings between €165 and €375 are assessed at 50%, and any earnings over €375 are fully assessed as means. This means that people can earn up to €165 per week and keep their payment in full and can earn up to €527.60 per week and keep a portion of their payment.
If a person’s spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant works, their ‘net’ weekly earnings from work as an employee are assessed as follows:
• €20 per day, up to a maximum of €60, from work is deducted from their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant’s average net weekly earnings; and
• 60% of the balance is assessed as weekly means.
In addition, Disability Allowance has one of the highest capital disregards operated by the Department of Social Protection. A recipient can have up to €50,000 in savings and still receive the full rate of payment. This is compared to €20,000 for most social welfare payments. A person’s family home is not assessed as means.
Over the last five budgets the Government has progressively improved payment rates and income disregards for disabled people. The weekly payment rates for Disability Allowance have increased by €51 in that time. The earnings disregard has increased by almost 38% since Budget 2021 from €120 to €165 currently.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
