Some Information on Carers Payments

If you are looking after someone full-time, who needs that level of care because of a disability, whether it be physical, mental, intellectual, emotional or age related, you may qualify for a Carer’s Payment. There are two types of Carers’ Payments: Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit. For Carer’s Allowance, the person being cared for must require full-time care for at least a year.

Carer’s Allowance (CA)

Carer’s Allowance is a means tested payment, that can be paid to carers on low incomes who look after people who need full-time care and attention. If you are looking after more than one person, you may be entitled to an additional 50% of the basic rate of Carer’s Allowance each week.If you qualify for Carer’s Allowance, you may also qualify for the free Household Benefits Package and a Free Travel pass. If you are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance on the first Thursday in June, you will be eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant (formerly known as the Respite Care Grant). There is no need to apply separately for the grant. There is no Qualified Adult payment with the Carer’s Allowance.

The means test for the Carer’s Allowance involves assessing your income from savings, investments, property (excluding your home) and your spouse’s / civil partner’s / cohabitant’s income.

If you are getting certain Social Welfare payments and satisfy the normal qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance, you can keep your main Social Welfare payment and get half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well. If you are getting Carer’s Allowance and subsequently become entitled to another payment, you may be able to claim the other payment and get half your rate Carer’s Allowance – but only if the other payment is a qualifying payment for half-rate Carer’s Allowance.

If you are getting certain Social Welfare payments and satisfy the normal qualifying conditions for a Carer’s Allowance, you can keep your main Social Welfare payment and get a half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well.

If you are being claimed for as a Qualified Adult on your spouse’s / civil partner’s / cohabitant’s Social Welfare payment and you are providing full time care to another person, you may apply for half-rate Carer’s Allowance in your own right and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may retain the full Qualified Adult payment for you on their Social Welfare payment.

A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week, provided that they can show to the satisfaction of a Deciding Officer that adequate care has been provided for the care recipient in their absence.

The following is allowed, if during the carer’s absence, adequate provision of care has been arranged for the person being cared for:

• Voluntary work for up to 18.5 hours a week.

• Self-employment up to 18. 5 hours a week (any earnings will be assessed as means – Carer’s Allowance only. Income limit applies for Carer’s Benefit).

• Employment up to 18.5 hours a week (any earnings will be assessed as means – Carer’s Allowance only. Income limit applies for Carer’s Benefit).

• Education or training courses up to 18.5 hours per week.

The limit is 18.5 hours per week for all these activities combined. For example if you were attending a training course for 8 hours per week you could only work 10.5 hours per week at the same time.

Carer’s Benefit (CB)

Carer’s Benefit is the payment made to insured people who reduce their hours or leave the workplace to care for a person or persons in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify you must satisfy a number of conditions.

Carer’s Benefit is not means tested. Any savings, investments, or property that you might own will not affect your rate of payment on Carer’s

You can get Carer’s Benefit for a total period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for.