# Give up work due to illness, husband is on good salary, is benefit means tested?



## CD2005 (28 Apr 2007)

Hi,

Due to illness there is a possibility that I'll have to give up work for some time. 

Since I want to leave my current employment anyway, I was wondering if I left work due to illness and went on the sick would I be means tested for sickness benefit as my husband earns a fairly good salary?

I know that under unemployment we would be subject to means testing but cant find anything on welfare/citezen websites that indicates for sickness benefit we would.

Thanks


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## ajapale (28 Apr 2007)

Hi CD,

Ive changed the title somewhat to more accurately reflect the question. Let me know if this is ok.

aj


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## justsally (28 Apr 2007)

Sickness Benefit is not means tested as it is dependent upon your social welfare contributions. Sorry I can't give you a break-down off hand of the requirements but these should be easy enough to obtain from the Social Welfare site - now that you know what you are looking for. Generally speaking, benefits are not means tested, "allowances" are.

Cheers


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## regicide (28 Apr 2007)

If you have enough PRSI contributions and your doctor signs weekly medical certs confirming you are ill then you should be able to get illness benefit.

See this thread :

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=53243

reg


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## Welfarite (30 Apr 2007)

CD2005 said:


> I know that under unemployment we would be subject to means testing but cant find anything on welfare/citezen websites that indicates for sickness benefit we would.
> 
> Thanks



For your information , in case you recover and are again looking for work, this is not necessarily so. As said by another poster "allowances" are means-tested adn if you qualify for Illness Benfit, you will qualify for Jobseeker's BENEFIT, which is not means tested.


the criteria for claiming Illness/Jobseeker's Benefits in 2007 is that you must have 39 weeks contributions or credits in the 2005 year. Also you must have 39 actually paid contributions since starting work. You'll find details of this on www.welfare.ie


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## fago (1 May 2007)

Hi 
I am currently in the same boat as you.  Gave up work due to illness they were driving me to it! I was not means tested but was not allowed to claim for my 3 children as my husband is on a good salary.  Once you have 39 weeks of prsi paid in 2005 and 2006 you are intital to benifet. however you could/will get called for a medical in approx. 6 months and they decided if you can carry on claiming if you get turned down in their view that you are well enough to work you can go on unemployment benifet once your prsi contributions are up to date.  Once you earned over 80.00 a week for the last 2 years you should be covered. This is based on your prsi  assistance is where you get means tested.

Fago


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## wolfspeed (8 May 2007)

The other thing to remember, regardless of means tested benefit is that you will still accumulate PRSI stamps if you are out sick. This is important as it maintains your PRSI record which counts towards pensions etc.


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## asdfg (17 May 2007)

does anyone know how many stamps are needed to get a state pension as i have been claiming disability benefit for some years


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## Welfarite (17 May 2007)

You should get all  the info you want at  http://www.welfare.ie/publications/sw118.html


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## Wonderwol (17 May 2007)

asdfg said:


> does anyone know how many stamps are needed to get a state pension as i have been claiming disability benefit for some years


 
Have you checked out going for a Disability Pension?


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