Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 195B

Refusal or failure to participate in prescribed schemes, programmes or courses relating to supplementary welfare allowance

Section 195B sets out the consequences for supplementary welfare allowance recipients who refuse or fail to participate in prescribed employment, education or training programmes following an assessment of their needs.

• If a person refuses without good cause to participate in a prescribed scheme or course recommended after assessment, their weekly allowance is reduced as specified in section 197.
• While receiving the reduced rate, the person may be asked to attend a further assessment or to participate in another prescribed programme.
• Continued refusal without good cause can result in disqualification from the allowance for up to 9 weeks.
• Any increases in the allowance for dependent adults or children continue to be paid during any period of disqualification.