Payments to carers

Information

Carers may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department of Social Protection. If you are caring for someone, a disabled child or adult or an older person, you may qualify for a carer's payment.  The two main social welfare payments for carers providing full-time care are Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit. You may also qualify for an annual Respite Care Grant.

Carer's Benefit is a short-term payment paid for up to 24 months to people who give up employment to care on a full-time basis for someone who requires full-time care and attention. Employees, after one year's service, may take unpaid Carer's Leave of up to 2 years to provide full-time care for someone who needs it and Carer's Benefit may be paid during this time.  Additional payments are made if you are looking after more than one person. If you do not qualify for Carer's Benefit you may qualify for Carer's Allowance. 

Carer's Allowance is payment for people who are caring on a full-time basis for someone who requires full-time care and attention and will require it for at least 12 months. You must satisfy a means test and the habitual residency condition. From 27 September 2007, half-rate Carer's Allowance is payable with certain other social welfare payments, this means, you may keep your main social welfare payment and get half-rate Carer's Allowance as well.

If the person cared for is under 16 years of age a full rate Domiciliary Care Allowance must be in payment in order to qualify for Carer's Allowance.  If you get Carer's Allowance you are entitled to a Free Travel Pass and may be eligible for the Household Benefits Package which includes Free Electricity or Natural Gas Allowance, Free TV Licence and Free Telephone Rental Allowance.

Respite Care Grant is an annual payment made to carers, aged 16 or over, providing full-time care for at least six months a year.  However, this period must include the first Thursday in June.  You are allowed to work for a certain number of hours each week.  A Respite Care Grant is paid for each person being cared for.  If you are getting Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit there is no need to apply for the grant, it will be automatically paid to you in June.  If you are only getting Domiciliary Care Allowance, the Health Service Executive pays the grant.

Under the Homemaker's Scheme, if you give up work to care full-time for a child under 12 or a disabled child or adult, you may be able to have these years disregarded or not taken into account when your yearly average is calculated for your State Pension (Contributory).

Other supports are available from the Heath Service Executive, for example, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available for a child with a disability. When your child reaches 16 years of age he or she may qualify for Disability Allowance. If you are providing full-time care and attention you can retain you carer's payment. Respite care can allow any carer to take a break from caring.

If you are caring for a dependant child you may be entitled to an Incapacitated Child Tax Credit. If you are employing a carer, you may be entitled to claim a tax allowance for employing a carer for a disabled person.

Further information

For further information on your rights and entitlements as a carer contact your local Citizens Information Centre
Citizens Information Phone Service:  Lo-Call 1890 777 121. 

Also, there are a number of organisations that provide support and advice to carers.