All the Information & Resources Needed To Care For Your Loved Ones
26th June 2024
Carer's Allowance is a weekly social welfare payment to people who are caring for a person who needs support because of their age, disability or illness (including mental illness).
Your income must be below a certain amount to get Carer’s Allowance - see ‘How your income is assessed for Carer’s Allowance’ below.
If you are caring for two or more people, your rate of Carer's Allowance is increased by 50% (maximum) each week.
If you are getting another social welfare payment, you may get half-rate Carer’s Allowance.
If you get Carer's Allowance you may also get the Free Household Benefits Package (if you are living with the person you are caring for) and Free Travel.
Carer's Support Grant
The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people getting Carer's Allowance in June each year. You can find out more about the Carer's Support Grant.
How to qualify for Carer's Allowance
To be entitled to Carer's Allowance you must:
Be age 18 or over
Pass a means test - see ‘How your income is assessed for Carer’s Allowance?' below
Provide full-time care to a person who is not living in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution – see ‘What is full-time care?’ below.
Not live in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution.
Not be employed, self-employed, do voluntary work, training or any education courses for more than 18.5 hours a week.
Be habitually resident in the State
The person you are caring for must be:
Age 16 or over and so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention or
Under 16 and getting a Domiciliary Care Allowance.
How your income is assessed for Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Allowance (CA) is a means-tested payment.
In a means test the Department of Social Protection examines all your sources of income. To get CA, your income must be below a certain amount.
The main items included in the means test are:
Cash income - see below.
Capital – this includes savings, investments, shares or any property you have (but not your own home). The first €50,000 of your capital is not taken into account. Find out more about capital not included in the means test.
Cash income
Some cash income may not be included in the means test. For example, any payment from the Department of Social Protection is not included in the means test.
Since 1 June 2022, if you are single, €350 of your gross weekly income is not taken into account in the means test for Carer’s Allowance. If you are married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting the first €750 of your combined gross weekly income is not taken into account.
Your gross weekly income includes any maintenance payments.
PRSI, union dues, superannuation (pension contributions including additional voluntary contributions) and travel expenses are also deducted (if not being paid a travel allowance by your employer). Any means associated with Benefit in Kind (BIK) are also excluded from means test for Carer’s Allowance.
If you are getting a social welfare payment from another state an amount up to the maximum rate of the Irish State Pension (Contributory) is not taken into account. Any foreign social welfare payment above the maximum Irish State Pension (Contributory) rate is treated as income for the means test.
For a couple, your means are taken to be half of the total means of yourself and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.
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Disclaimer: Although we will do our best to provide you with correct details, information provided is subject to errors or omissions. IrishCarers.ie is a private property blog on the subject of information and resources related to caring in Ireland. We are not affliated any organisation or firm and all advice and information provided on our website should be checked with the individual companies or organisations involved.
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