Publication
Get work supports if you have a disability
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
If you have a disability and want to start work, return to work or continue in work, there are a range of supports available to you.
For Employers there are:
Intreo (the Irish Public Employment Services) is a single point of contact for all employment services.
Your local Intreo Centre can provide you with support and advice on:
Intreo also provides:
The EmployAbility Services are provided by companies working on behalf of Intreo. They provide a specialist employment service for people with disabilities. Your Intreo Employment Personal Advisor can refer you to the service if you both agree you would benefit from the supports these companies offer - which includes job coaching support and in-employment support. EmployAbility Services also provide a recruitment and job matching service for employers.
Contact your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office for more details.
The Department of Social Protection funds the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) to deliver the Willing Able Mentoring (WAM) programme and the ‘Get Ahead’ programme for third-level students and graduates with disabilities.
WAM is a work placement programme that helps graduates with disabilities get employment. Find out more about the WAM programme here.
If you are on a disability payment and aged between 18 and 27 or have been getting a disability-based payment for less than two years, Intreo will send you a letter to invite you to a phone call with a specially trained Employment Personal Advisor. During the phone call the Employment Personal Advisor will offer you guidance and support to help you achieve your work ambitions.
Taking part is your decision. It is completely voluntary.
Whatever you decide will not affect your social welfare payment or medical card or travel card.
If you engage with us, we will focus on your needs to identify your employment preferences and skill gaps.
The way that this proactive support works, including who is to be contacted, and the letters sent to customers, was developed in consultation with disability stakeholders.
Early Engagement began in July 2022 by sending letters to 18–22 year olds getting Disability Allowance. This was followed by the 22–25 year olds getting Disability Allowance. Further groups include people getting a disability based payment for less than two years and 26–27 year olds.
If you have a disability and you are starting or returning to employment, you may be able to keep all or part of your existing payments.
If you are getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, you can keep your full payment while earning up to €165 per week from employment or self-employment.
If you earn over €165 a week from work, half of your earnings between €165 and €375 are not included in the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension means test.
Any earnings from work over €375 per week are assessed as income on a euro (€1) for euro (€1) basis, that is your Disability Allowance or the Blind Pension will be reduced by a €1 for every €1 earned from employment above €375 per week.
If you are getting Invalidity Pension or you have been getting Illness Benefit for six months or more, and you want to take up work, you can apply for Partial Capacity Benefit. This scheme means that you may be able to continue to receive some additional income while working.
Please note you cannot start work until you have received written permission to do so from the department, following consideration of your Partial Capacity Benefit application.
The rate of payment you will receive, in addition to your own earnings, is based on your current Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit payment and a medical assessment. There is no risk to your benefits in undertaking this assessment. The scheme is voluntary and designed to give you an income boost in work.
The scheme has been designed so there are no limits on earnings from employment or on the number of hours you can work.
Under this scheme, you can go back to your original payment if you need to, provided you continue to satisfy your underlying claim conditions.
To find out more, get in touch with the Partial Capacity Benefit team.
If you are returning to full-time or part-time work, you may be able to keep your medical card. Visit the HSE website for more details.
You can use the Benefit of Work Estimator if you are getting disability or illness payments. This shows how income from employment may affect your social welfare payment.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund provides financial support for people with disabilities (both jobseekers and existing employees) and their employers which include:
To get this funding you must be employed or starting a job in the private sector.
A grant of up to €1,000 is available through the Training Support Grant where an Employment Personal Advisor identifies a skills gap that prevents you from getting a job. This grant is available through both Intreo Centres and Employability contractors.
JobsPlus is an employer incentive which encourages and rewards employers who employ eligible jobseekers. From January 2023, changes to the JobsPlus incentive scheme will encourage private sector employers to employ disabled people. Employers who employ people in receipt of the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension can avail of two grants under this scheme; the value of the grants are €7,500 and €10,000.
The Disability Awareness Support Scheme provides funding for private sector employers to give disability awareness training to staff who work with a colleague who has a disability.
The Wage Subsidy Scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability who may have a restriction which results in a loss of productivity for the employer. The work offered must be for a minimum of 21 hours per week and the subsidy is available up to 39 hours per week.
You can find out more information by contacting your local Intreo Centre or the Designated Disability Case Officer in your area.