Earning extra cash on illness benefit

Does anyone know if you can earn a bit of extra cash while on illness benefit?

I seem to remember reading in the illness benefit literature that you could earn up to €50 a week if it was connected to charity work?
Sorry to be so vague. I can't find the reference now.
Basically what I'm asking is if you can do a few hours work with a charitable organisation and earn an extra €50? If so, does anyone know what kind of work it would be, or any charities that you could approach?
I might be totally wrong about this but I'm sure I read it somewhere.

Thanks

Anything here

Thanks for that. Yes, it might be this:

"work you do as an out-worker under a charitable scheme, as long as your weekly earnings are under a certain limit"

In the literature received when you are notified of eligibility it mentions something like the above. Does anyone know what this means?

As well as asdfg's link, there's more useful information here - see the Rules of Behaviour paragraph.

Thanks for that. People in the disability office don't seem to have a clue what it means.

Cheeus said:

People in the disability office don't seem to have a clue what it means.

Click to expand...

How ironic.

"out-worker on a charitable scheme" referred to persons working in the community with certain charitable organisations - e.g. working with the elderly.

As it happens, that rule of behaviour no longer exists (which may be why you couldn't find someone who knew what it meant), and was rarely used anyway!

The link in my earlier post brings you to the current rules of behaviour, and the income limit which applies at the moment is €50 per week.

You must get permission in advance from the Dept if you:
- start part-time work which is part of a rehabilitation or occupational therapy programme
- start an approved training course with a view to starting in another occupation.

You don't need written permission if you take up light work which is not payable, work done as part of a treatment program while an in-patient (provided earnings less than €50) or work done under a charitable scheme, again provided earnings are less than €50.

You won't get permission to work during the first 6 months of an Illness Benefit claim.

Hope this helps

Could I suggest you read section 18 (Exemption from rule 5) very carefully.

This allows you to do work of a rehabilitive nature for up 20 hours per week as long as it is approved by the Dept. So the idea is if you find a suitable job of up to 20 hours per week check with Dept if it is allowable under section 18 (Exemption from Rule 5)

Example:- Person who is say Carpenter, Plumber etc. has illness/injury and is no longer able for heavy physical but can do lighter duties which would be beneficial to his well-being or recovery, may apply for Exemption.