Carer’s Benefit
Table of contents Carer’s Benefit Respite care Carer’s leave Rules to qualify How to apply – *All information from CitizensInformation.ie Carer’s Benefit Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention. You can get Carer’s Benefit for a total […]Table of contents
– *All information from CitizensInformation.ie
Carer’s Benefit
Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention.
You can get Carer’s Benefit for a total period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. This may be claimed as a single continuous period or in any number of separate periods up to a total of 104 weeks. However, if you claim Carer’s Benefit for less than six consecutive weeks in any given period you must wait for a further six weeks before you can claim Carer’s Benefit to care for the same person again.
If you are caring for more than one person, you may receive payment for each care recipient for 104 weeks. This may result in the care periods overlapping or running concurrently.
Respite care
The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by the Department of Social Protection. It was formerly called the Respite Care Grant, but was renamed the Carer’s Support Grant to better reflect how it is used by carers.It is paid on the first Thursday in June of each year.
Carer’s leave
Your right to carer’s leave from employment complements the Carer’s Benefit Scheme. Carer’s leave allows you to leave your employment temporarily for up to 104 weeks to provide full-time care for people in need of full-time care and attention. The leave is unpaid but people who take carer’s leave have their jobs kept open for the duration of the leave. You do not have to be eligible for Carer’s Benefit to get carer’s leave.
Rules to qualify
You may be eligible for Carer’s Benefit if:
- You are aged 16 or over and under 66.
- You have been employed for at least 8 weeks, whether consecutive or not, in the previous 26 week period. You must be in employment for a minimum of 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight. You don’t have to meet this condition if you were getting Carer’s Benefit in the previous 26 weeks.
- You give up work in order to be a full-time carer. Being a full-time carer means you must be living with or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who is not living in an institution.
- You are not living in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution. However, you may continue to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention, if you or the person being cared for is having medical or other treatment in a hospital or other institution for a period not longer than 13 weeks.
- You meet the PRSI contribution conditions.
- The person being cared for is so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and is not normally living in an institution. Medical certification is required unless the person being cared for is a child who is getting Domiciliary Care Allowance.
- You must not take part in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. The maximum amount you can earn is €332.50 per week. (€332.50 is your net income after you have deducted income tax and Universal Social Charge, PRSI, superannuation (pension payments), pension levy, union dues, subscriptions to Friendly Societies and any health insurance contract premium from your total wage.)
– To see more details of rules and carer’s benefit rates, visit Citizens Information now.
How to apply
To apply fill in an application form for Carer’s Benefit (pdf). This form (CARB1) is also available from your local Intreo centre or social welfare office or from the Carer’s Benefit Section, (see ‘Where to apply’ below). The Department of Social Protection recommends that you apply for Carer’s Benefit 10 weeks before you leave employment.
Parts 1, 2, 3 ,5, 6, 7 and 8 should be completed by you. Part 4 should be completed, signed and stamped by your employer. Part 10 should be completed by the person(s) receiving care from you and his/her doctor should complete, sign and stamp the Medical Report.
If you are applying for Carer’s Benefit for a second person you should use the application form CARB2 (pdf).
Where to apply
For more information on Carer’s Benefit, contact your local social welfare office or:
Department of Social Protection
Carer’s Benefit Section
Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
Ireland
Tel:(043) 334 0000
Locall:1890 92 77 70
Homepage: https://www.welfare.ie
- For further details, visit Citizens Information today: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/carers/carers_benefit.html
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