PRSI Treatment Benefit, dependent spouse income limit

[Gordanus]

my mother has just been turned down for a 2nd hearing aid (she needs two - and they cost about 900 each) because under the Dependent Spouse scheme, her income is above 79.14 per week!!!!!!!!!! Jeez! Do they expect a couple to live on 79.14 a week?? I'm outraged but that seems to be the rule, so unappealable.

 

[ClubMan]

Re: mad income limit

my mother has just been turned down for a 2nd hearing aid (she needs two - and they cost about 900 each) because under the Dependent Spouse scheme

I presume you mean the Dependent Spouse section of the PRSI Treatment Benefit Scheme?

her income is above 79.14 per week!!!!!!!!!! Jeez! Do they expect a couple to live on 79.14 a week??

Not necessarily. What is the total income of the household?

 

[Gordanus]

That's the reason given on the rejection letter. Will investigate it further, but it seems very low.

 

[ClubMan]

My point is that the rule simply stipulates that the dependent spouse cannot earn more than €79.14 p.w. in order to qualify. Presumably they don't expect the couple to live on this amount on the basis that the other spouse may have additional income/means.

 

[Gordanus]

Just found it:
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You will be considered a dependent spouse if:

you are dependent on your spouse;
you have a gross income of 76.18 euro or less per week;
your income exceeds 76.18 euro per week and you were dependent on your spouse before entering or resuming insurable employment (at Class A, E, H or P);
you are not getting a social welfare payment (except Disablement Pension, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, or Child Benefit);
you are getting a Carer's Allowance or Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension in your own right and were dependent on your spouse immediately before receiving Carer's Allowance or Old Age (Non-Contributory) Pension.
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These are the only grounds. I do find this all a morass of clauses and subclauses. I'm going to see if she'll qualify under some other scheme....