Social welfare recipients in Ireland must meet stringent eligibility requirements in order to qualify for the payments.
Additionally, while claiming benefits, they must continue to meet the requirements set out by the Department of Social Protection.
This means people must update the department if they have a change in their circumstances or no longer require the welfare payment being claimed.
There are also specific rules which apply to each type of social welfare being paid, as well as certain stipulations on whether claimants can access other sources of income at the same time.
Crowdfunding campaigns have become increasingly popular in recent years as people raise money for good causes or people impacted by tragic events or health issues.
According to the department, people on social welfare and who receive money through crowdfunding may have their payments affected depending on the type of benefit they claim.
For those whose claims are not means tested, money received through crowdfunding activity "does not impact on the payment, provided the individual continues to meet the qualification conditions for the particular scheme".
This applies to social insurance benefit schemes, which include:
- Jobseeker's Benefit
- Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed)
- Illness Benefit
- Maternity Benefit
- Paternity Benefit
- Adoptive Benefit
- Parent's Benefit
- Health and Safety Benefit
- Invalidity Pension
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
- State Pension (Contributory)
- Treatment Benefit
- Occupational Injuries Benefit
- Carer's Benefit
A spokesperson for the department told the Irish Mirror: "The Department provides income supports through contributory benefit payments and means-tested social assistance payments.
"Social insurance benefit schemes are based on contributions paid while working and not on the means of the individual.
"Therefore access to funds, including monies derived through a crowdfunding activity, do not impact on the payment, provided the individual continues to meet the qualification conditions for the particular scheme. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a benefit payment and accordingly means are not assessed."
However, the advice differs when it comes to social assistance payments, as people's incomes are taken into account when applying for the welfare supports.
Social assistance payments include:
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Farm Assist
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
- Carer's Allowance
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Blind Pension
- Disability Allowance
Income and capital, such as shares or property, are assessed when people apply for one of these social assistance payments, and therefore money received from crowdfunding would also be part of the means-testing.
The spokesperson outlined: "In relation to social assistance payments, the means test does take account of the income and capital of the person (and spouse or partner, if applicable) applying or in receipt of a particular payment. Capital includes savings, shares, property (other than the family home) and other investments.
"If it is possible for a social welfare claimant to access funds in an account, such as funds provided through crowdfunding, these funds would be assessable for social welfare means testing purposes.
"However, most social assistance schemes have a capital disregard of €20,000, with the next €10,000 assessed at €1 per thousand, the next €10,000 assessed at €2 per thousand, and the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand. In the case of Disability Allowance, the first €50,000 of capital is disregarded.
"Once a claimant’s means have been assessed as a certain amount and they have been awarded a social welfare payment they are responsible for informing the Department about any changes in your circumstances."
They added: "There are specific exceptions to this where the income is derived from certain compensation awards such as from payments awarded by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunal, the Residential Institutions Redress Board and payments made in relation to disability caused by Thalidomide.
"Income from these sources are not assessed at all. Crowdfunding is not included in the list of disregarded sources of income."
