Thousands of people could be missing out on a social welfare payment worth €1,644 per month and all they need is to meet six criteria to qualify.
The Carer's Allowance is a weekly social welfare payment made to people who are caring for an elderly person. If you're caring for one person aged 66 or over, you could be paid €274 a week, or €411 for two people under this age bracket, RSVP reports.
And if you're caring for someone under the age of 55 you could receive €236 a week or €354 for two people within this age bracket. In addition, there is an increase for people who have dependent children to care for as well. Here's everything you need to know about the Carer's Allowance and how to qualify.
Read more: Social Welfare Ireland: Thousands could benefit from cash boost for emergency payments
What is Carer's Allowance?
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 which includes mental illness. To claim this social welfare payment, your income must also be below a certain amount and it is means tested, so the Department of Social Protection will be assessing all your sources of income.
How to qualify for Carer's Allowance?
To claim the Carer's Allowance you must meet these criteria:
- Be age 18 or over
- Pass a means test
- Provide full-time care to a person who is not living in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution
- 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
And 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 is your income assessed for the Carer's Allowance?
The Carer's Allowance is means tested, and to avail of this social welfare payment your weekly income must be below a certain amount.
The main sources of income included in the means test are:
- Cash income
- Capital income, which can include investments, shares or any property you have but not your own home. The first €50,000 of your capital is not taken into account.
- All your sources of assessable income, such as cash and capital, are added together to get your total weekly means.
But if you're single then €350 of your total weekly income is not taken into account in the means test for Carer’s Allowance. And if you're married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting this means that the first €750 of your combined total weekly income is not taken into account.
For a couple, your means are taken to be half of the total means of yourself and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. However, there is some cash income not included in the means test.
For example:
Any payment from the Department of Social Protection is not included in the means test
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) treated as income for the means test.
For further information and advice visit www.gov.ie
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