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May 4, 2023
To apply for Illness Benefit, submit the IB1 form and Certificate of incapacity for work. Learn more about the application process and get answers to some FAQs.
Article written by
Aine Kavanagh
Illness Benefit is an Irish social welfare payment you are entitled to receive if you can't work due to sickness.
To apply for Illness Benefit, you must submit:
IB1 Form - Illness Benefit Form
Certificate of incapacity for work (provided by a family doctor or GP)
Keep reading for more information on Illness Benefit forms.
Here are the documents you need to apply for Illness Benefit:
To claim Illness Benefit, you must apply within six weeks of becoming ill.
Here's the information you must fill out in your Illness Benefit claim form.
Personal details
Contact details
Claim and employment details
Late claims
Spouse, civil partner, cohabitant, or adult dependant details (including income details)
Payment/Bank details
Declaration
Injury Benefit (work-related)
Employer Declaration
Details of your dependant children/child
You can fill out and submit the Illness Benefit claim form online on MyWelfare.ie or request a paper form from your doctor.
Unable to obtain the claim form online or from your doctor?
Email [email protected] with “Application Request” in the subject line to receive the form.
Now:
To support the claim, you must also submit a medical certificate from your doctor.
Let’s discuss that next.
You can get a ‘Certificate of incapacity for work’ from your doctor or GP to confirm that you are incapable and unfit for work.
Your GP can provide you with a certificate for the duration of your illness, which they can complete online. If your GP cannot complete the Certificate online, you can get a physical certificate and fill out your details.
You do not have to pay any charges to get the ‘Certificate of incapacity for work’, as the Department of Social Protection pays your GP an agreed amount. However, you may have to pay the doctor for the check-up.
Your doctor can send this Certificate electronically, or you can request a paper copy to send along with your paper claim form.
Submit your Illness Benefit application form online on MyWelfare.ie if you have a verified MyGovID account and a Public Service Card.
Alternatively:
You can mail a physical application form.
Send the completed claim forms, along with the ‘Certificate of incapacity for work’, via Freepost to:
Social Welfare Services,
PO Box 1650,
Dublin 1.
You must continue to meet the following conditions to keep receiving Illness Benefit payments:
You CANNOT be engaged in any employment or self-employment roles.
You MUST NOT receive any holiday pay from your employer.
You MUST appear for any assessment you're asked to attend by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and answer any relevant questions.
You CANNOT continue to claim Illness Benefit if you move to a country that falls outside EU regulations.
You must be under 66, fulfil the social insurance (PRSI) contributions and have a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number to qualify for Illness Benefit.
Here are the answers to some commonly asked Illness Benefit questions:
Self-employed people are NOT eligible to apply for Illness Benefit.
An exceptional public health measure was taken during Covid-19 called Enhanced Illness Benefit. It allowed both employed and self-employed people to apply for Illness Benefit, encouraging them to self-isolate and stay at home instead of going out to work due.
The Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit was introduced in March 2020 and ended in September 2022.
If you've received Illness Benefit for at least six months, you can apply for Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB). It allows you to return to work while still receiving a social welfare payment.
However, you CANNOT begin working until you've received written approval from the DSP.
Here are some other social welfare payments you can get with Illness Benefit — provided you have enough PRSI contributions:
Blind Pension
Half-rate Carer's Allowance
Disablement Benefit
One-Parent Family Payment
Deserted Wife's Allowance/Benefit or Prisoner's Wife's Allowance
You can close your Illness Benefit claim when you are well enough to resume work.
Inform the Department of Social Protection over email or by phone with the contact details below:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01 7043300, 0818 928400
To close your claim, your doctor should also mark your last ‘Certificate of incapacity for work’ as the final one. If you can't get it marked by your doctor, notify the DSP.
You can reach the DSP via the email address and phone numbers listed above or through post:
Illness Benefit - Close My Claim,
Illness Benefit Section,
Social Welfare Services,
PO Box 1650, Dublin 1
There are no set payment days for Illness Benefit — and it can be paid any time between Monday to Saturday, depending on the date of application.
Employers are not obligated to pay their employees when they are on sick leave.
But if you're an employer who wants to support their employees' well-being, why not try Kota?
Kota lets you support and empower employees with scalable benefits like health insurance.
With Kota, employees get complete control over their benefits while employers don't have to worry about paperwork and admin pains. Sounds like a win-win!
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