Minister Humphreys Reduces the number of Waiting Days for Illness Benefit back to three

From Department of Social Protection 

The Social Protection Minister, Heather Humphreys, TD, has announced that, with effect from today, Monday, 1st March the number of “waiting days” for the standard Illness Benefit payment is being reduced from 6 days to 3 days. This will mean that the payment will now be paid from the fourth day of illness.

Illness Benefit is a short-term payment available to employees who are insured under PRSI at Classes A, E and H.

Since January 2014, payment of Illness

Benefit commenced from the seventh day of illness and no payment was made for the first six days, known as ‘waiting days’.

Minister Humphreys commented:

“In Budget 2021, I was pleased to restore the original ‘three waiting days’ condition for the Illness Benefit payment.

“Reducing the number of ‘waiting days’ for Illness Benefit will help reduce the financial burden for employees who become ill.

“The majority of people who become ill are only ill for a short period of time. For the past number of years all employees who became ill and claimed Illness Benefit from the Department of Social Protection were not paid for the first week (six days) that they were out of work.

“Many of these employees continued to go into work when they were not well, to avoid loss of income.

“Restoring the number of ‘waiting days’ for Illness Benefit back to the original three days, will help reduce the financial burden for employees who become ill and allow them time off work without the level of income loss that they might have experienced up to now.

“The quickest and easiest way to make an application for Illness Benefit is to do so via www.MyWelfare.ie.”

This reduction in the waiting days will have an immediate and significant impact in terms of the number of people who may benefit. For example, last year the Department of Social Protection received some 200,000 applications for Illness Benefit and each of those employees would have had to forego six waiting days.

Minister Humphreys also reminded people that there are no waiting days for the special COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, which is paid, subject to medical certification by a doctor from day one of a person being diagnosed or required to self-isolate.