Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981

In short

This law consolidates and outlines the rules for social welfare in Ireland, covering various social insurance benefits and social assistance payments. It details who is eligible, the conditions for receiving benefits, and how these schemes are administered.

What it regulates

• **Social Insurance:** This includes benefits like disability benefit, maternity allowance, unemployment benefit, occupational injury benefits, pay-related benefit, and various pensions (old age, retirement, invalidity, widow's, orphan's, deserted wife's).
• **Social Assistance:** This specifically covers unemployment assistance.
• **Contributions:** It defines how contributions are made for social insurance and how they are varied.
• **Administration and Legal Proceedings:** It sets out the framework for making decisions, administering benefits, handling legal offenses, and managing the Social Insurance Fund.

Who it concerns

• **Insured Persons:** Individuals who make social insurance contributions through employment or voluntarily.
• **Claimants of Social Welfare:** People seeking various benefits and assistance due to disability, unemployment, maternity, old age, or other specified circumstances.

Key points

• The law distinguishes between "Social Insurance" (contributory benefits) and "Social Assistance" (non-contributory payments).
• It specifies conditions for receipt for each type of benefit, such as for Disability Benefit (Chapter 2, Section 19) or Old Age (Contributory) Pension (Chapter 7, Section 79).
• It details the rates of benefit and potential increases for adult and child dependants for many schemes, for example, for Unemployment Benefit (Chapter 4, Sections 31 and 32).
• It includes provisions for disqualifications from receiving certain benefits, such as for Disability Benefit (Chapter 2, Section 23) and Unemployment Benefit (Chapter 4, Section 35).