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Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
Deirdre Vann Bourke, Kerry Citizens Information Manager says; “The service is very busy at present and we are working hard to respond to the needs of the community.
“We are very much a face-to-face service so if anyone needs information or assistance in relation to their entitlements, we encourage you to drop in to one of our offices and bring any documents or correspondence, relating to the matter, with you.”
Q. Today we are going to focus on supports for Carer’s. What information and supports are available for Carer’s from Citizens Information?
People providing care for family members often are so busy with their caring responsibilities that they don’t always have time to look at what supports are available to them.
Some people don’t even think of themselves as Carer’s as they consider their work as part of an unspoken promise to be there for loved ones when they need them.
It is important that they know that Carer’s may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department of Social Protection.
The two main social welfare payments for carer’s providing full-time care are Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit.
You may also qualify for an annual Carer’s Support Grant. Another consideration would be taking Carer’s Leave from work to care for a loved one. We also look at any secondary benefits for which the person who is caring, may qualify.
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Q. What’s the difference between Carer’s Benefit & Carer’s Allowance?
Carer’s Benefit is a short-term payment paid for up to 2 years to people who give up employment to care on a full-time basis for someone who requires full-time care and attention.
It is PRSI based and you have to have a certain number of PRSI contributions paid. People who are self-employed and paying a Class S PRSI contribution will not qualify.
On the other hand, Carer’s Allowance is a 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 to qualify for Carer’s Allowance.
To claim either payment, you must complete an application form and submit to DSP. It is important that you put in detailed information in relation to the level of care that you are providing to support your application.
Q. What does ‘full time care’ mean?
A person is seen as needing full-time care when they need continual supervision to avoid danger to themselves or they need continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day with normal bodily functions.
For example, help to walk and get about, eat or drink, get washed or dressed. The Department of Social Protection will decide if the person needs full-time care. This decision will be based on the information that the Carer provides on the application form.
The person being cared for must have their doctor complete, sign and stamp the Medical Report which is part of the Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Allowance application form.
This Medical Report is not needed if the person being cared for is a child who is getting Domiciliary Care Allowance. You or the person needing care must not be living in a hospital or institution.
However, you can continue to be seen as providing full-time care if you or the person being cared for is having medical or other treatment in a hospital or institution for not longer than 13 weeks.
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Q. Do you have to be caring for a set number of hours to qualify for a Carer’s payment?
The time spent providing care must not be less than 35 hours per week, over 5-7 days. If you are away, you must be able to arrange full-time care for the person you care for.
Q. You said that Carer’s Benefit is for people who leave work to provide care. Does the person have to resign from their job?
No, the person does not have to give up their job if they are applying for Carer’s Benefit. While it involves the applicant leaving work or reducing their hours in order to care for a person in need of full-time care, the person can apply for Carer’s Leave from their employment.
Carer’s leave allows employees to leave work temporarily to provide full-time care and attention for someone who needs it. You can take carer’s leave for a minimum of 13 weeks and up to a maximum of 104 weeks.
Carer’s leave from employment is unpaid but your job will be kept open for when you return. However to get carer’s leave, you must have worked for your employer for 12 months without a break in employment.
Employers are entitled to at least 6 weeks written notice from the employee of the intention to take carer’s leave. The person you will be caring for must need full-time care and attention. A deciding officer of the DSP will decide whether they need this care after checking with their GP.
Q. Can you do any paid work while on Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance?
You can be employed, self-employed, in training or in education outside the home for up to a maximum of 18.5 hours per week. If on Carer’s Benefit, the maximum amount you can earn is €350 per week after tax, PRSI & Union dues are deducted.
Currently, if you are single, €350 of your total 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 total weekly income is not taken into account.
This will change from June 2024. From then, the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance will increase to €450 for a single person and €900 for a couple. So if you don’t qualify now, you might later this year.
Q. Can you explain the means test for Carer’s Allowance?
First of all, like Carer’s Benefit, you must be providing full-time care and attention to a person who requires that level of care. In addition however, you must be habitually resident in the State and pass a means test. In certain circumstances you may be eligible for Half Rate Carer’s Allowance.
The main sources of income included in the means test for Carer’s Allowance are any cash income and capital income – 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. Any payment from the Department of Social Protection is not included in the means test. You can get up to €14,000 per year for renting out a room in your own home without it affecting your payment.
Citizens Information staff can help you work out how the means test would apply in your individual situation.
Q. How much is each payment worth per week?
Your payment is made up of a personal rate for yourself and extra amounts for any child dependants. Carer’s Allowance has no qualified adult payment.
Carer’s Benefit: €249 per week if caring for one person and €373.50 if caring for two people.
Carer’s Allowance: €248 per week if caring for one person and €372, if caring for two people and you are under 66. If you are aged 66+, you will receive up to €286 for one person and €429, if you are caring for two people. You can also get a child increase if you have a qualified child and if you are on Carer’s Allowance, you will get a higher rate when you are aged over 66
Q. What is the qualifying condition for Half-Rate Carer’s?
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
You cannot get half-rate carer’s if you are in receipt of a jobseekers payment.
Q. What is the Carer’s Support Grant?
The Carer’s Support Grant is paid to carers once a year by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and it amounts to €1,850 . It is paid once a year, usually on the first Thursday in June, for each person you are caring for. It is not taxable.
You cannot be working outside the home for more than 18.5 hours or signing for Jobseeker’s Credits. It’s important to note that you can apply for this payment even if you are not receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit and if you are caring for more than person, you can get the CSG for each person.
Q. Do you have to live with the person that you are caring?
No, however, non-resident care situations may require investigation by a Social Welfare Inspector before consideration by the Deciding Officer. A direct system of communication must exist between the carer’s residence and that of the care recipient. This may be a telephone or alarm-type system.
The care recipient must not already be receiving full-time care and attention within his or her own residence from another person.
Q. There has been discussion recently about Long Term Care Credits. Can you explain what these are and why they are important?
This year, a new Long-Term Carers Contribution scheme will be introduced. Legislation setting out the full detail of the scheme is not yet published. Under the scheme, if you have been a full-time carer for at least 20 years (1040 weeks), you can get Long-Term Carers Contributions to help you qualify for the State Pension (Contributory).
A Long-Term Carers Contribution is the same as a paid contribution on your PRSI record for each week that you provide full-time care. The contribution makes it easier for a carer to qualify for the State Pension Contributory when they reach pension age.
If you have been providing full-time care for less than 20 years you may be able to avail of the Homemaker’s Scheme or the Home Caring Periods Scheme.
Under these schemes a certain period of time out of the work force caring would not affect any entitlement you may have to the State Pension (Contributory). If you contact your local Citizens Information Centre, we will go look at your situation and advise you on which applies to your situation.
Q. Are there any additional supports available to Carer’s that we have not already covered?
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.
If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you are eligible for a GP visit card.
If the person that you are caring for passes away, your Carer’s Benefit payment will continue for 6 weeks following the death, while Carer’s Allowance continues for 12 weeks.
There are also some tax credits that the family can avail of. If you are married or in a civil partnership and you care for a dependent person, you can apply for the Home Carer Tax Credit.
You must be jointly assessed for tax as a couple. You can also claim a tax credit if you are the parent or guardian of a child who is permanently incapacitated, either physically or mentally. It is called the Incapacitated Child Tax Credit.
If you maintain a dependent relative, you may qualify for the Dependent Relative Tax Credit. Maintaining a relative means meeting the costs of everyday living. To qualify for the tax credit, the income of your relative must be below a limit. Contact your local CIC for more details as to whether or not you these apply in your situation.
Q. As usual, this is a vast area and we do not have time to delve into all the details so if someone would like more information what should they do?
If someone would like more information about any of the issues covered, it would be best to telephone or call into your local CIC. We will discuss your current circumstances with you and make you aware how the various schemes apply to your personal circumstances.
This is where Citizens Information can help- we can discuss your situation with you and lay out your options. At the end of the day, you will decide what option is best for you – but hopefully, with our help, you will make your decision based on having all the knowledge you need to make an informed choice.
• For anyone needing information, advice or have an advocacy issue, you can call a member of the local Citizens Information team in Kerry on 0818 07 7860, they will be happy to assist and make an appointment if necessary.
The offices are staffed from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. Alternatively you can email on tralee@citinfo.ie or log on to www.citizensinformation.ie for further information.
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