Disability payments and the Arts and Disability Connect fund

If you are an artist with a disability, you may be eligible for the Arts and Disability Connect (ADC) fund. The ADC fund can help you to develop your practice and to connect with art organisations and professionals in Ireland.

Applications to the Arts and Disability Connect fund are decided by Arts and Disability Ireland.

Effect on disability payments

If you are an artist and getting a disability payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP), any income you get including funding from The Arts Council may affect your payment.

You will be considered as self-employed by the DSP, if you get ADC funding and one of the following social welfare payments:

• Disability Allowance
• Blind Pension
• Invalidity Pension

If you are getting an Invalidity Pension and accept ADC funding, you must transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB). Your rate of PCB is determined by your capacity for work. Your rate of PCB is not affected by your ADC funding.

ADC funding is assessed as self-employment income in the means test for Disability Allowance (DA) and Blind Pension (BP). The means test examines all your sources of income to find out if you qualify for DA or BP.

Allowable work-related expenses can be deducted from the ADC grant when your means are assessed.

If your ADC funding stops within 12 months, you can return to your Disability Allowance or Blind Pension payment. Your means may be reassessed.

How ADC funding is assessed

The total amount of ADC funding that you are awarded is divided by the number of weeks in the award period to give a weekly amount.

This weekly amount is then assessed as income from self-employment, as follows:

• The first €165 of funding is disregarded (not counted)
• 50% of funding between €166 and €375 is assessed
• Funding over €375 is assessed in full

Example for Blind Pension

I am getting a weekly Blind Pension of €220. I was awarded Arts and Disability Connect funding of €15,000 over 12 months. How will my Blind Pension be affected?

• Blind Pension is €220 per week
• ADC funding is €288.46 per week
• The first €165 is not counted in the means test (€288.46 - 165 = €123.46)
• 50% of funding between €166 and €375 is assessed (€123.46/2 = €61.73)
• Means of €61.73 will give you a new Blind Pension of €165 per week, see SW19 for how means affects BP

Your new income is €453.46 per week. This includes your Blind Pension of €165 and ADC funding of €288.46 per week.

Example for Disability Allowance

I am getting a weekly Disability Allowance of €220. I was awarded Arts and Disability Connect funding of €15,000 over 12 months. Will my Disability Allowance be affected?

• Disability Allowance is €220 per week
• ADC funding is €288.46 per week
• The first €165 is not counted in the means test (€288.46 - 165 = €123.46)
• 50% of earnings between €166 and €375 is assessed (€123.46/2 = €61.73)
• Means of €61.73 will give you a new Disability Allowance of €165 per week, see SW19 for how means affects Disability Allowance

Your new income is €453.46 per week. This includes Disability Allowance of €165 and ADC funding of €288.46 per week.