Job for invalidity pension person

whydoibother

I have a friend who’s on invalidity pension because of several health issues he’s got but he’d like to do something. It’s been a few years since he’s stopped working because he had a stroke but he’s just in his 50s and he’d like to try and find something to do while being on illness benefit - without losing this benefit… can he do that? And what kind of jobs could he do? He was a recruitment consultant for many years and he speaks several different languages… he could teach English to foreigners, for example, but how would he go about this without losing his illness benefit?

Dempo1

Just to be Clear is your friend on Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension 🤔

If on Illness Benefit, no

With regard to Invalidity pension it's tricky and best explained here.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/social-welfare-payments-and-work/disability-payments-and-work/#:~:text=People%20getting%20Illness%20Benefit%20and,assessed%20in%20the%20means%20test.

whydoibother

I think it’s invalidity pension. Sorry I got the name wrong. He just wanted to have something to do and earn some extra money doing it. He can speak a few languages. It’s really sad if he can’t do anything to feel useful.

Noddy45

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120895351#Comment_120895351

so if a person gets invalidity pension, that's it they can't work anymore? So that means that this guy will be on more or less 200 per week for over a decade until he becomes a real pensioner?

Goldengirl

Also Free Travel.

Other benefits require means testing like Fuel Allowance

Can apply to have partial Capacity Benefit so may be allowed to work a few days a week if that is granted.

It requires a DoSp Medical Assessment. If deemed capable of some work, Mild, Moderate or Profound disability will determine how much percentage of benefit payable going forward.

If deemed mild, payment may be withdrawn along with any other benefits such as free travel, or fuel allowance if qualifies on means test.

Your friend may find that a risk for them, if the new work doesn't work out and would have to reapply to go back on invalidity pension.

But he could return to partial work otherwise... moderate or profound disability... can apply to go back on full invalidity at any stage if work not working out and full benefits restored.

Cherry Blossom

Hi OP, if your friend is capable of some work maybe he is on the wrong payment? You can work on Disability Allowance which is a mean tested payment. I think your friend would need to apply and go through the process while not working and then seek work after DA is approved. The first €165 of wages a week is not assessed on DA. Money earned between €165 and €375 is means tested at 50%. For example if he earns €170 a week from employment the first €165 is not counted as means so 50% of the remaining fiver is €2.50. He would lose €2.50 off his DA payment each week. The first €50,000 of savings is also not means tested on DA. It really is the most flexible social welfare payment as long as your friend doesn’t have significant means, the limits for means testing on this payment are really very generous as well, it might be worth your friend looking in to it. He can own his own home also. The one downside of DA is that you don’t get PRSI credits when solely on DA. He will get them from his job though once established on the payment if he gets work.

endofrainbow

Partial Capacity might be a better option for him.

Dempo1

That's not what I said, but if a person is on Invalidity pension and wants to or is capable of some work they would have to change the Payment they are on, such as partial capacity etc or Disibility allowance which allows some, what is referred to rehabilitative work.

These payments are means tested and it's not straight forward to give up Invalidity pension which, depending on circumstances has a number of other benefits like free travel, household package etc. A person woukd be advised to think very carefully before giving up Invalidity pension.

Ezeoul

Would he be interested in volunteering just to get out of the house? The max amount of hours someone can volunteer for is 10 hours a week, and he'd still need to get advance permission from Invalidity Pension Section but it might be something he'd be interested in doing.

There is a local group in my area which meets every Wednesday for an hour and a half, where english speakers sit down and chat with Ukranian and other refugees, just chatting, to help them learn the language. It's very informal and friendly. No payment is involved.