Press release
Minister Humphreys meets disability groups and publishes Green Paper on Reform of Disability Payments
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys today met disability groups and as she published a Green Paper on reform to Disability Payments.
The draft proposals on the reform of disability payments will be subject to a public consultation that will run until the end of the year.
Stakeholders today heard that the proposals represent a starting point for discussion about how long-term structural reforms can be delivered that will benefit people living with disabilities.
The Green Paper makes three main proposals:
1) Introduction of a Three-tiered Personal Support Payment as follows:
People who are not able to work will get a higher payment rate. The proposed higher rate is the same as the State Pension Contributory rate which is currently €265.30 a week*
People in the lowest tier with the highest capacity to work will receive a payment of €220 a week and will be provided supports to find training and employment opportunities suited to their needs.
People with a more limited capacity to work will be placed in the middle tier and their payment will be half-way between tier 1 and tier 3. They will be offered appropriate employment supports and services.
*These are indicative rates only based on current payment rates.
2. Introduction of new in-work supports
The current systems of disregards will be replaced by a working age payment model. This would create a greater link between welfare payments and employment earnings to ensure that a person would experience an increase in income where they take on additional work.
3. Addressing inconsistencies in eligibility
The paper proposes to unify the medical and age criteria of the new contributory and non-contributory payment. People would qualify for the payment based on social insurance contributions or a means test.
It is proposed to raise the qualifying age for Disability Allowance to 18 to bring it in line with the other disability payments. In parallel with this, it is also proposed to extend the payment of Domiciliary Care Allowance to 18 years of age.
Addressing today’s stakeholder meeting, Minister Humphreys said:
“Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection, I have tried to put a stronger focus on supporting people with disabilities.
“We delivered a €500 Disability Support Grant in last year’s budget, introduced significant changes to income disregards, enhanced the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and we are now rolling out a new WorkAbility Programme to support and help people with disabilities into the workforce.
“The publication of this Green Paper, coupled with the launch of this public consultation, is a starting point for the delivery of longer-term structural reforms of the system.
“The proposals contained in the paper are very much draft proposals that are intended to provoke discussion, debate and suggestions.
“The consultation will run until 15 December and I am encouraging all interested parties to have their say."
Minister Humphreys added:
“I am aware that for some people with a disability, unfortunately employment will not be an option. For these people their social welfare payment may be their only source of income. We must insulate them from poverty.
“And for disabled people who wish to work, we need more targeted employment supports. We know Ireland is behind the EU average for employment rates for people with disabilities so we must do more.
“The proposals of this Green Paper are based on extensive research and recommendations from previous reports and strategies, including the Cost of Disability report.
“But I am not wedded to these proposals, they are a starting point for discussion. My ultimate aim is to improve our complex system of income and employment supports so that they work better for people with a disability.
“I am committed to making this public consultation as accessible as possible for people with disabilities, their representative organisations and other stakeholders. I look forward to hearing your views and meeting you at more public consultation events over the coming months.”
A summary of this Green Paper is available in Easy to Read format and in Irish Sign Language (ISL) online and is available in Braille upon request. A hybrid public consultation event (in-person and online) is being planned for later this year. In addition, regional events may be held in November, subject to demand. People may make submissions either in writing, by video or through a consultation event. Further information on the consultation process is available at: Disability Payments Reform.
The Department of Social Protection provides income and employment supports for people with disabilities in the form of social assistance and social insurance payments. Social assistance payments are means-tested, financed by the Exchequer. Social insurance payments are based on a person’s contribution record and are financed by the Social Insurance Fund. The current system of supports consists of:
The paper also proposes extending the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme. This is paid to the parent or guardian of a child who needs ongoing care and attention that is substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age.
Please visit Disability Payments Reform to read the full paper and for details on how to attend a consultation event or make a submission.