Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Kerry Citizens Information Service which provides a free and confidential service to the public…Ciara O’Gorman, Development Manager looks at supports for Carers. She also gives details of changes to the income disregards for some payments as of 1st July 2026.
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 carers providing full-time care are Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit.
You may also qualify for an annual Carer’s Support Grant, which is paid in June. Another consideration would be taking Carer’s Leave from work to care for a family member. We also look at any secondary benefits for which the person who is caring, may qualify.”
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You mentioned two payments there, Carer’s Benefit & Carer’s Allowance. What is the difference between them?
2Carer’s Benefit is paid to people who leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person in need of full-time care. It is PRSI based and you have to have a certain number of PRSI contributions paid. Since January of this year, Carers Benefit was extended to self-employed people which is a positive development. You can get Carer’s Benefit for 2 years (104 weeks) for each person that you are caring for.
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.”
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 both 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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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.
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.
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.”
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 €625 per week after tax, PRSI & Union dues are deducted. This will increase to €1,000 after tax from July.
Currently, if you are single, €625 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 €2,000 of your combined total weekly income is not taken into account.
This will change in a few weeks’ time as from 1st July the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance will increase to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple.
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, 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.
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: €271 per week if caring for one person and €406.50 if caring for two people.
Carer’s Allowance: €270 per week if caring for one person and €405, if caring for two people and you are under 66. If you are aged 66+, you will receive up to €308 for one person and €662, if you are caring for two people or more.
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.
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 jobseeker’s payment.
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 this year. it will amount to €2,000. It is paid once a year, usually on the first Thursday in June, for each person you are caring for. This year it was paid last week, on 4th June. It is not taxable. You cannot be working outside the home for more than 18.5 hours or signing for Jobseeker’s Credits. It is important to note, you can apply for this payment even if you are not receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit.
You can apply for a Carer’s Support Grant for any given year from April of that year until 31 December of the following year e.g. you can apply for the Carer’s Support Grant for 2024 at any time from April 2024 up until 31 December 2025. The grant rate for 2024 was €1,850.
If you are caring for more than person, you can get the CSG for each person.
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.
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. It is a qualifying payment to apply for Fuel Allowance.
If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you are eligible for a GP visit card.
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?
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.
Alternatively, please telephone 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 really help; we can discuss your personal situation with you and lay out your options. At the end of the day, you will decide what option is best for you – but with our help, you will make your decision based on having all the information 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.
