Self employed illness benefit?

boxermad

How's things. The old fella is a self employed taxi driver. He suffered a heart attack (minor) last week but doctors told him he can't work for around 6 weeks. He has a loan out for the car and now with no income he is struggling to repay the loan. I told him to go down to the social welfare office but he said because he is self employed they won't give him anything. I find this hard to believe as he has been paying his taxes etc etc. Any idea if he can claim something for the duration he is off work

Yenwod

Presuming he pays S class contributions, he wouldn't be entitled to Illness Benefits

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_insurance_prsi/class_S_prsi.html

He may be able to get something from the Community Welfare Officer but that's a means related payment

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Basic-Supplementary-Welfare-Allowance.aspx