Welfare Payments

Has your employee been:

• injured at work?
• or sustained a work-related disease?
• or injured travelling directly to or from work?

If so, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has a range of payments that they may be entitled to:

Injury Benefit

Payable instead of Illness Benefit for the first 26 weeks after a work-related injury or disease, where they are incapable of work as a result.  To apply, employee must be unfit for work for more than 6 days as a result of the accident (excluding Sundays or paid holiday leave).

Medical Care

This allows the employees to get a refund of the costs of medical care and attention that are not paid by the Health Service Executive (HSE) or covered by the Treatment Benefit Scheme.  To obtain medical care, the employee must notify the Department of their intention to claim medical care within 6 weeks of the start of medical treatment. This is normally 6 weeks from the date of the accident or the development of the disease.

Disablement Benefit

This is a payment for a percentage (%) loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of a work-related injury or disease.  This can be paid as a non-taxable lump sum or a weekly pension.  It is not affected by continued employment or other social welfare payments.  If an employee claims Injury Benefit, after suffering a work-related accident or disease, they cannot claim Disablement Benefit until the Injury Benefit has been closed or expired. Employees may claim Disablement Benefit from the 4th day after the accident.

Incapacity Supplement

This is a supplement to a Disablement pension for employees incapable of work as a result of their work-related injury or disease and who do not qualify for Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension. It is not means tested.

Constant Care Allowance

Payable on a 50%+ Disablement pension if the employees need someone at home to attend to their personal needs for at least 6 months as a result of the work-related injury or disease.  It is paid directly to the Disablement pensioner. 

Death Benefit Pension

Payable to the widow, widower or surviving civil partner of an employee who dies as a result of a work-related injury or disease or where the deceased immediately before death was getting a 50%+ Disablement pension.  This is payable at a higher rate and in place of the standard Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension.       

Death Benefit Orphan’s Pension

Payable to the guardian of an orphan whose parent died as a result of a work-related injury or disease or where the deceased immediately before death was getting a 50%+ Disablement pension.  This is payable at a higher rate and in place of the standard Guardian's Contributory Pension.

For more information go to www.welfare.ie/en/pages/oib.aspx 

Alternatively, they can be contacted at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/secure/GENENQ.aspx