Thousands of people have received a welcome boost this week with a once-off €1,850 payment from Social Welfare.
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, confirmed that 125,000 carers and their families were eligible to receive the €1,850 payment on June 1.
The payment cost around €260 million to pay out to the eligible carers and their families.
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The Carer’s Support Grant is paid to carers once a year by the Department of Social Protection. It used to be called the Respite Care Grant.
It is paid to carers getting Carer's Allowance (both full rate and half-rate), Carer's Benefit, or Domiciliary Care Allowance. Only one Carer’s Support Grant can be paid for each person getting care.
The grant is paid automatically to these eligible people. If you are not getting one of these payments, you can still qualify for the Carer’s Support Grant.
If you are not getting one of the above payments, you should fill in an application form, found here, for each person you are caring for.
To get the Carer’s Support Grant, you must be:
Aged 16 or over
Ordinarily resident in Ireland
Caring for the person on a full-time basis
Caring for the person for at least 6 months - this period must include the first Thursday in June
Living with the person being cared for (or if you do not live with them you must meet certain criteria, for example the person must be able to contact you quickly and directly)
During this 6 month caring period, you cannot:
Work more than 18.5 hours per week as an employee or self-employment
Take part in an education or training course for more than 18.5 hours a week
Get Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit
Sign on for credited contributions
Live in a hospital, convalescent home or similar institution
If you are caring for more than one person, a grant is paid for each of them.
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