Written answers
Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
Social Welfare Schemes
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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889. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the threshold for earned income in order to qualify for deserted wife’s benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31381/21]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Deserted wife’s benefit (DWB) is a social welfare payment, introduced in 1973 for women who were deserted by their husbands.The scheme has been closed to new applicants from 2 January 1997, following on the introduction of the one parent family payment. Entitlement to DWB is based on the social insurance contribution record of the person claiming the benefit or that of her husband.
Entitlement to this benefit is subject to a gross earnings limit of €20,000 per annum for claims made on or after 31 August 1992.For claims made before this date, no income limit applies.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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890. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the existing level threshold for earnings to qualify for the deserted wife’s benefit was last reviewed; if she plans to review the threshold limit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31382/21]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Deserted wife’s benefit (DWB) is a social welfare payment, introduced in 1973 for women who were deserted by their husbands.The scheme has been closed to new applicants from 2 January 1997.
Entitlement to this benefit is subject to a gross earnings limit of €20,000 per annum for claim made on or after 31 August 1992.For claims made before this date, no income limit applies.
With effect from 3 May 2007, the income disregard was increased from €12,697.38 to its current level of €20,000. Any review of the income disregard would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
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