Half-rate Carer's Allowance
Introduction
If you are getting certain social welfare payments and you are providing full-time care and attention to another person, you can keep your main social welfare payment and get a half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well.
If you are in one of the following situations you may qualify for half-rate Carer's Allowance:
- Already getting Carer's Allowance but also meet the qualifying criteria for another social welfare payment
- Changed from another social welfare payment to get Carer's Allowance
- Caring for someone and being claimed for by a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant
- Getting a social welfare payment other than Carer's Allowance and caring for someone
If you are already getting Carer’s Allowance
If you are getting Carer's Allowance and you also meet the qualifying conditions for another social welfare payment (for example, a State pension) you should apply for the other payment. If you qualify for the other payment you will be paid it in full and keep half your Carer’s Allowance payment as well. (For a list of social welfare payments payable with half-rate Carer's Allowance - see 'Rules' below)
If you are currently getting Carer’s Allowance and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is claiming another social welfare payment (for example, Jobseeker’s Allowance), your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may claim an increase in their social welfare payment for you as a qualified adult and your Carer’s Allowance will be reduced by 50%. This can only be done with your consent but it may increase your total household income.
If you changed from another social welfare payment to Carer’s Allowance
If you were on another social welfare payment before claiming Carer's Allowance, you may get your original payment reinstated and also get half-rate Carer's Allowance, if you continue to meet the qualifying conditions for both schemes. (For a list of social welfare payments payable with half-rate Carer's Allowance - see 'Rules' below)
If you are caring for someone and being claimed for as an adult dependant on your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant’s social welfare payment
If ypur spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is claiming for you as a qualified adult on their payment and you are providing full-time care to another person, you may now apply for half-rate Carer's Allowance and keep your current Increase for a Qualified Adult in full.
If you are getting a social welfare payment (other than Carer’s Allowance) and caring for someone
If you are getting one of the social welfare payments payable with half-rate Carer's Allowance (see 'Rules' below) and caring for someone, you may keep your social welfare payment and qualify for half-rate Carer’s Allowance.
Rules
You must meet the qualifying criteria for Carer’s Allowance. For example, the person you are caring for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and you must satisfy a means test. There is more information in our document about Carer’s Allowance.
If you satisfy the conditions for Carer’s Allowance it will be awarded at 50% of the rate that would apply if you were not getting any other payment. You will also be eligible for the Respite Care Grant, Household Benefits Package* and a Free Travel Pass.
*It was announced in Budget 2012 that new applicants for Carer’s Allowance, who are not living with the person for whom they are providing care, will not be entitled to the Household Benefits package from April 2012. The person receiving care may be entitled to the Household Benefits package in their own right.
You can get half-rate Carer’s Allowance with the following weekly social welfare payments:
- State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Contributory) Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
- Invalidity Pension and Invalidity Pension Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Jobseeker's Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Illness Benefit and Illness Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
- Injury Benefit and Injury Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Death Benefit
- Health and Safety Benefit
- Maternity Benefit
- Adoptive Benefit
- State Pension (Non-Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Blind Pension and Blind Pension Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
- One-Parent Family Payment
- State Pension (Transition) and State Pension (Transition) Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Pre-Retirement Allowance and Pre-Retirement Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult Allowance
- Jobseeker's Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Disability Allowance and Disability Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Incapacity Supplement and Incapacity Supplement Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Farm Assist and Farm Assist Increase for a Qualified Adult
You cannot get half-rate Carer’s Allowance with the following social welfare payments:
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult
- Jobseeker's Benefit
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Family Income Supplement
- Back to Work Allowance
- Back to Education
- Carer’s Benefit
You cannot get Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and half-rate Carer's Allowance because you must be actively seeking employment and be available to take up employment to qualify for JA and JB. However, you may qualify for half-rate Carer's Allowance if your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant is getting JA or JB and claiming for you as a qualified adult dependant.
Rates
If you satisfy the conditions for Carer’s Allowance it will be awarded at 50% of the rate that would apply if you were not getting any other payment.
Maximum half-rate Carer's Allowance in 2012
| Half-rate Carer's Allowance (max) | Under 66 (max) | Age 66 and over (max) |
| Caring for one person | €102 | €119.50 |
| Caring for two or more | €153 | €179.25 |
Any increase you may be entitled to, for example, an increase for a dependant child, living alone and living on an offshore island will be paid with your main social welfare payment and not with the half-rate Carer’s Allowance.
How to apply
Half-rate Carer’s Allowance is not a new scheme. You apply on the standard Carer’s Allowance form.
To apply fill in an application form for Carer's Allowance (pdf) or contact your local Social Welfare local office for a copy of this form.
Forward the completed application form with the relevant certificates to Carer's Allowance Section at the Department of Social Protection - see 'Where to apply' below.
Where to apply
Department of Social Protection
Carer's Allowance Section
Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
Ireland
Tel:(043) 334 0000
Locall:1890 92 77 70
Email: halfratecare@welfare.ie
Language
Related Documents
- Social welfare payments following a death
What happens to social welfare payments in Ireland following a death? Find out why some payments continue for 6 weeks following a death, and how to apply. - Carer's Allowance
Carer's Allowance is a means-tested payment to people in Ireland caring for an incapacitated person. - Claiming for an adult dependant
You can get an increase in your social welfare payment for your adult dependant. This document explains who qualifies as an adult dependant.
Contact Us
If you have a question relating to this topic you can contact the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm) or you can visit your local Citizens Information Centre.