You may be entitled to receive illness benefit from the Department of Social Protection if you cannot work because you are sick or ill. 

You must be aged under 66, covered by the appropriate class of social insurance (PRSI) and satisfy the PRSI conditions.

From 6 January 2014 no Illness Benefit payment is made for the first 6 days of illness (up from 3 days). This means that a person will not be entitled to Illness Benefit for the first 6 days of their claim (unless the person was receiving Illness Benefit, Injury Benefit or a jobseekers' payment immediately before their claim). Claims with a commencement date before 6 January 2014 and those coming from Maternity Benefit will not be paid for the first 3 days of illness.

Rules

-          You must apply for illness benefit within 7 days of becoming ill;

-          No payment will be made for the first 6 days (previously 3);

-          The only time the 6 waiting days will not apply if is you are receiving other social welfare payments within 3 days of the start of your illness;

Whether you quality for payment or not you should always submit a claim when you are certified as unfit for work.  You may be entitle to PRSI credited contributions for each week that you are ill and these could help you qualify for future social welfare payments.

Whether your employer pays you or not while you are sick and if you get sick pay from work you should ask your employer what administrative arrangements are in place while you are claiming illness benefits.

For more information see;

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

What questions do you have?

We are happy to help. Please post your comment below or call Annemarie Keenan on 01 677 9000.

If this article helped you, please share it with other businesses.