Major changes to Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit payments take effect
As of July 3, the Carer's Allowance income disregard has increased. The income limit for the Carer's Benefit has also increased since the beginning of the month.
The Allowance is a weekly social welfare payment to people caring for someone due to age; disability or illness while the Benefit is pay for those who have had to leave or reduce their working hours in order to care for someone. Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit recipients are being warned of changes to the payments which came in earlier in the month. Pic: Getty Images
To qualify for Carer's Allowance, your income must be below a certain amount and will be assessed by the Department of Social Protection.
The DSP adds all sources of assessable income together to get your total means.
As of July 3, if you are single and receiving the allowance, €625 of your total weekly income is not taken into account, while it will be the first €1,250 of your combined total weekly income for couples. To qualify for Carer's Allowance, your income must be below a certain amount and will be assessed by the Department of Social Protection. Pic: Getty Images
If your means if over a certain amount, you may be entitled to a reduced rate of the Allowance, similarly if you are in receipt for another social welfare payment you may get reduced Carer's Allowance.
If you think you are eligible for this payment, you will need to fill in the Carer's Allowance (CR1) form.
To be eligible for Carer's Benefit you must be over 16 and have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. You can get the benefit for two years for each person you are caring for.
Neither your nor the person you are caring for can live in a hospital in order for you to be eligible for the Benefit, and the person must also require full-time care.
Previously, eligibility required recipients to not earn more than €450 per week after tax.
As of July 3, this has been increased to €625.
To apply for Carer's Benefit, the Carer's Benefit (CARB1) form needs to be filled in.
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