Caring for someone can bring many challenges physically and emotionally, but it can also bring unexpected costs. It is important that you know what may be available to you and how to access entitlements and other supports.
Below you can learn more about supports that may be available to you in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Please note that this information is accurate at the time of writing but due to the dynamic nature of benefits and entitlements, you can contact the organisations below for further information. These organisations may also be able to perform an eligibility check based on your own individual circumstances.
Advice NI: 0800 915 4604
Citizens Information Service: 0818 07 4000
There are a number of options that may be available to carers in Northern Ireland. You can view a full list from the Government website here: NHS Social Care and Support
Carer’s Allowance: Carer’s Allowance is the main state benefit for carers, it is £83.30 a week. You can get it if you care for someone who claims Personal Independent Payments, Attendance Allowance or other benefits for at least 35 hours per week (see full list here: Carer’s Eligiblity), however it is means tested.
You cannot get Carers’ Allowance if you get more than £83.30 per week in other benefits, but it may still be worth applying as you may have what’s called an underlying entitlement to Carer’s Allowance. This can help increase other benefits you’re getting such as Universal Credit.
You can find further information by looking at the gov.uk website by clicking here: Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Credit: To receive a full state pension in the UK, you must have contributed 35 years of National Insurance payments. Many carers may not have the opportunity to do this and therefore in many cases the Government offer what’s called “carer’s credit”.
The Gov.UK website says the below:
“You could get Carer’s Credit if you’re caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week.
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit that helps with gaps in your National Insurance record. Your State Pension is based on your National Insurance record.
Your income, savings or investments will not affect eligibility for Carer’s Credit.”
You may be eligible for this if you meet the criteria listed here: Carer’s Credit Eligibility
You can find more information here: Carer’s Credit
Disability Living Allowance (DLA): This benefit is only available for those caring for a child who is under 16 years old. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
You can check eligibility by clicking here: Disability Living Allowance
Carer’s Assessments: If you care for someone, you may be able to avail of an assessment to see what help might make your life easier. This is done at a local council level. These assessments could include recommendations for some of the following:
A carer’s assessment is free and anyone over 18 can ask for one.
You can learn more about Carer’s Assessment here: Carer’s Assessment
Discretionary Support: Discretionary support is financial help for short-term living expenses or household items. You may be able to avail of it in exceptional circumstances or in crisis.
Depending on your personal circumstances, you could be offered either an interest-free loan or a grant that you would not have to pay back.
Discretionary Support can help with:
You can click this link to learn more about eligibility and find out how to apply: Discretionary Support
There are a number of different types of benefits/entitlements available to carers within the Republic of Ireland. You can refer to the Citizens Information Service for all information by clicking here: Citizens Information
Carer’s Allowance: Carer’s Allowance is a weekly social welfare payment to people who care for someone because of their:
To qualify for the payment, your income must be below a certain amount and is therefore means-tested (see information here: Carer’s Allowance
If you care for 2 or more people, your rate of Carer’s Allowance is increased by 50% (maximum) each week.
If you get another social welfare payment, you may get half-rate Carer’s Allowance.
Read more here: Carer’s Allowance
Carer’s Benefit: Carer’s Benefit is paid to people who leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person in need of full-time care.
To get Carer’s Benefit, you must be at least 16 years old and have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions (see ‘How to qualify’ on this page: Carer’s Benefit)
You can get Carer’s Benefit for 2 years (104 weeks) for each person that you are caring for.
You can take the 104 weeks all together or any number of separate weeks up to a total of 104 weeks. However, if you claim Carer’s Benefit for less than 6 weeks in a row, you must wait another 6 weeks before you can get Carer’s Benefit for the same person again.
If you are caring for more than one person, you can get a payment for 104 weeks for each person. If the care periods occur at the same time, you will get an increase in your Carer’s Benefit for caring for more than one person (see ‘Rate of Carer’s Benefit’ below).
If you get Carer’s Benefit, you can also get a GP visit card.
Read more here: Carer’s Benefit
Carer’s leave: Carer’s leave allows you to leave your employment for up to 104 weeks to provide full-time care to a person in need of full-time care. The leave is unpaid, but your job must be kept for you to return to at the end of your carer’s leave. You do not have to qualify for Carer’s Benefit to get carer’s leave.
Learn more here: Carer’s Leave
Domiciliary Care Allowance: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability.
DCA is not means-tested, so you may qualify for it regardless of your income.
DCA is not based on the type of disability your child has. Instead, it is based on their level of physical or mental impairment. Your child must need ongoing care and attention, substantially more than what is usually needed by a child of the same age.
You can read more about what severe or substantially means in the DCA Medical Guidelines (pdf). The Department of Social Protection (DSP) uses these guidelines when assessing applications for DCA.
You can learn more about DCA here: Domiciliary Care Allowance
Carer’s Support Grant: The Carer’s Support Grant is paid to carers once a year by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). It used to be called the Respite Care Grant.
You can use the grant in whatever way you like. You can use it to pay for respite care, but you don’t have to.
In June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), the DSP pays the grant automatically to carers getting:
Only one Carer’s Support Grant can be paid for each person getting care.
