Illness Benefit - Multiple illness periods

blue_desert

Hi all,

My partner has been off work sick a number of times over the past 5 years.
6 months in 2009
6 months in 2013
End of 2013 / start of 2014 (9 months)

He has been paying stamps from about 1997 - with a year off for travel in 2006.
He also has had a few smaller periods of illness aswell (<2 weeks) over the 5 years.

I know you can receive illness benefit for 2 years if you have the stamps but is this the max over a lifetime/period. Or is the start of the illness benefit restarted each time you go back to work?

Thanks - just want to understand if he might be cut off sooner or later as this would have a severe financial impact on us.

Cushie Butterfield

It's not a maximum of 2 years over a lifetime. Once you satisfy the conditions you can claim as many time as you need to for up to the maximum time allowed for your particular circumstances.

If you return to work you must have a minimum of 13 reckonable PRSI contributions paid before you may requalify for Illness Benefit. (All other qualifying conditions must also be satisfied.)

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/disability_benefit.html