By Charlotte Webster-
People with disabilities will be able to earn 250% more before they lose their medical card benefits, the Health Minister has said.
Simon Harris said the changes are aimed at removing barriers to entering the workforce and described it as a “win-win situation for all of society”. As from December 1 people who qualify for disability allowances will be able to earn up to 427 euro per week, or 22,204 a year, and keep their health benefits.
Under the current system once disabled people earn more than 127 euro a week, or 6,240 euro a year, they lose their medical card.Mr Harris added that society needed people to make that contribution as well and he hoped the improved thresholds would make it easier to enter the workforce.
The Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) have described the changes as a big step for people with disabilities. DFI chief executive Senator John Dolan said fear of losing a medical card was identified as the biggest barrier to work in the Government’s inter-department 2017 report entitled Make Work Pay.Mr Dolan added that a range of supports were needed to improve the “horrendous unemployment rates” for people living with a disability and this was one of those supports.
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The announcement follows a report yesterday from Lisa Sayce from the International inequalities institute calling for the British Government to do more to ensure the equality of treatment for disabled people. The announcement today by the government can be seen as the first step in that direction.
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