I recently became a carer for a family member. Can I get Carer’s Allowance?
Carer’s Allowance is a weekly social welfare payment to people who care for someone because of their age, disability or illness (including mental illness).
You can get Carer’s Allowance if you are caring full-time for someone who is:
Aged 16 or over and so incapacitated that they need full-time care and attention for at least 12 months, or
A child under 16 that you get Domiciliary Care Allowance for
You must also be 18 or over and:
Be habitually resident in Ireland
Not be working, studying, volunteering or training more than 18.5 hours a week
Not live in a hospital, convalescent home or a similar institution
Pass a means test
How is my income assessed in the means test?
Your income must be below a certain amount to get Carer’s Allowance. The Department of Social Protection examines all sources of income, including your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant’s income.
If you are single, €450 of your total weekly income is not taken into account in the means test. If you are a couple, the first €900 of your combined total weekly income is not taken into account.
The first €50,000 of your capital does not affect your Carer’s Allowance payment. Capital includes savings, investments, shares, or any property you have (but not your own home).
How much is Carer’s Allowance?
Your payment is made up of a personal rate for yourself and extra amounts for any child dependants. You cannot get an increase for a qualified adult with your Carer’s Allowance.
If you are under 66, the maximum weekly rate is:
€260 if you are caring for 1 person
€390 if you are caring for 2 or more people
If you are 66 or over, the maximum weekly rate is:
€298 if you are caring for 1 person
€477 if you are caring for 2 or more people
Increases for child dependants are called Child Support Payments. These are:
€50 (full-rate) and €25 (half-rate) for a child under 12
€62 (full-rate) and €31 (half-rate) for a child aged 12 or over
You can find out more about Carer’s Allowance and how to apply on https://bit.ly/Carers_Allowance, or call us on 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday
Know Your Rights has been compiled by South Connacht Citizens Information Service CLG, which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel: 0818 07 6330 Address: Boyle CIC, Elphin Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0818 07 4000.
