Entitlements for People with Disabilities
This document outlines most of the financial schemes available to students with disabilities. The most relevant benefits are listed in the summary pages (page 1-2). Full details on all such schemes are given in appendix one. A section of contact information is provided at the end, and you should familiarise yourself with the organisation which deals specifically with your disability. It is often worthwhile getting onto their mailing list for extra updated news and also a chance to provide feedback and share experiences with an interest group.
1. Disability Allowance
Students with a disability may be entitled to Disability Allowance, a weekly payment of €196 (maximum)
To qualify for a Disability Allowance you must:
- Be aged between 16 and 65
- Satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition
- Satisfy a means test
- Have an injury, disease or illness, or have a physical or learning disability that has continued or is expected to continue for at least one year and causes you to be ‘substantially restricted’ in doing work that would otherwise by suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications.
2. Back to EducationAllowance (BTEA)
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a scheme for unemployed people, lone parents and people with disabilities who are getting certain payments from the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The allowance can be paid to people who wish to do or take approved second or third level courses of education. BTEA is not an unemployment payment. Participants get a standard rate of payment which is not means tested. If you are signing for unemployment 'credits' only, you may qualify to take part in the scheme but you will not get a payment.Students with disabilities who receiveDisability Allowance should apply for BTEA if they wish to be eligible for supplementary benefits such as rent supplement.
3. Supplementary Benefits
If your income, whether from basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance or otherwise, is too low to meet certain special needs, you may be granted a weekly supplement. Special needs may include:
- rent or mortgage interest payments
- exceptional heating expenses due to ill-health - you will be required to get a letter from your doctor before a supplement for special heating needs will be granted
- a prescribed special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. In most cases, it must be prescribed by a hospital consultant or a hospital registrar. However, some diets may be prescribed by a G.P..
The amount of any supplement will be decided by the Health Service Executive based on your circumstances. Students who receiveDisability Allowance should apply for BTEA if they wish to be eligible for supplementary benefits.
For further details on these and other benefits such as health care or transport, see or contact your local Community Welfare Officer:
For On-campus or Dublin 2 region contact:
Community Welfare Officer
Pearse Street Primary Care Centre
Mark’s Lane
(Off Lombard Street)
Dublin 2
Tel 01 6777781
For Trinity Hall or surrounds contact:
Community Welfare Officer (Trinity Hall and surrounds)
Health Centre, 36 Upper Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.
Tel 01 497 3547
Tel 01 497 5863
Appendix 1:
Students with disabilities and the welfare system
Sections
- Education
- Payments available to disabled people
- Health Care
- Transport
- Tax
- Legal matters
- Further information
1. Education
In addition to the student grant system, students with disabilities might avail of the Back to Education Allowance. This allowance replaces whatever disability payment you are already entitled to (see section 2) and has the additional benefit of allowing you to work without your salary affecting the payment. However, it could affect any secondary benefits you are receiving. It also includes a €400 books allowance annually.
To qualify you must:
a)be 18 or over and receiving a disability payment for at least 12 months (e.g. Blind Person’s Pension / Disability Allowance / Invalidity Pension / Unemployability Supplement), or
b)be receiving Disability Benefit for 3 years
(See section 2 for more on these benefits).
Application is made via your college’s Disability Officer. Note that part-time students are not eligiable for any of these educational grants at present.
Personal Assistants
You may qualify for a PA to help with everyday tasks or specifically study-related ones. This may apply even if you are a part-time student. To find out more, the best organisation is the Irish Wheelchair Association, and also the Centre for Independent Living can help. They will process applications from people with a range of disabilities, not exclusive of mobility problems. (See section 7 for contact details)
Private Grants for Graduates
You might be interested in the following which are specifically targeted at students with disabilities:
1)Fulbright Scholarships
- The Jean Kennedy Scholarship – allows students with disabilities to research in any subject in the United States
- The Fulbright American/Ireland Fund Scholarship – allows a graduate to research at Gallaudet University for the deaf.
Contact: Hainault House, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
2)Dr. Ciaran Barry Scholarship
This allows for research at the Central Remedial Clinic.
Call 01 – 8057400.
2. Payments available to people with disabilities
Most students with disabilities will qualify for either Disability Allowance or Blind Pension. There are other payments, which will be briefly dealt with, since most of them would not apply to the ‘typical’ student population (i.e. single, under 30 years of age and never in full-time employment).
Means Test
Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are means-tested. “Means’ includes all income you may have, whatever its source and the value of any property you may own. Failure to disclose could result in prosecution, so it is better, when applying to list everything you think might be relevant. There are a few exceptions to what counts as means, such as the value of the home you actually occupy and any money received from a recognised charity, but the best advice to any claimant is – declare these anyway.
Habitual Residency Test
Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension require that you must be resident in Ireland or Great Britain for at least two years before applying.
Main Schemes
1) Disability Allowance
To qualify you must have a disability which would prevent you from doing the kind of work which an able-bodied person of your own age, experience and qualifications could undertake. In assessing your means, those of your parents are not taken into account, even if you live at home. You may have a job while on this allowance, provided it does not pay more than a certain sum (currently €120 per week). Before getting any kind of work, you must inform the Department of Social and Family Affairs and get their approval. To apply for Disability Allowance, contact your local social welfare office.
2)Blind Pension
In order to qualify you must have your eyes tested by a qualified opthalmologist (an ordinary optician is not sufficient). Besides total blindness, other visual impairments are also considered (e.g. low general vision, tunnel vision). As with Disability Allowance, you may earn up to €120 per week provided your work has been reported to and approved by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. To apply for Blind Pension contact your local social welfare office.
In addition to Blind Pension you may also qualify for Blind Welfare Allowance, a discretionary payment provided by your Local Health Office.
Free Travel
Everyone on Disability Allowance or Blind Pension receives a free Travel Pass. Blind Pension automatically entitles you to a companion travel pass, but if you receive Disability Allowance you would have to provide evidence that you cannot safely travel alone in order to qualify for a companion pass.
Living Alone Allowance
In addition to Disability Allowance and Blind Pension you may qualify for this extra weekly payment. It is payable even if you do not live entirely alone. You must however satisfy one of the following conditions:
a)if you live in someone else’s house, you must be able to demonstrate that you occupy either a self-contained flat or that you have separate cooking/dining and sleeping accommodation,
b)you live alone during the day but either go to stay with friends or relations at night or have someone staying with you at night. This person must not contribute to household expenses in any way, or
c)you live alone during the week but a friend or relative stays with you at weekends only.
Apply to the Department of Social and Family Affairs (i.e. the one where you already get your main benefit from).
Supplementary Welfare Allowance
This is a weekly payment designed to supplement a low income and could help out a person with a disability who does not qualify for disability allowance or blind pension, but who cannot, due to their problems, earn a living wage. It can also be payable to those who are waiting for their applications to be processed. You must apply to the Community Welfare Officer at the local Health Centre.
Diet Supplement
People with medical conditions requiring an expensive specialised diet can apply for this benefit, but you require a hospital consultant (a normal GP is not sufficient). Apply to the Community Welfare Officer at your local Health Centre.
Heating Supplement
If you live alone and have medical proof that you require extra heating, then you can apply for this through the Community Welfare Officer at your local Health Centre.
Exceptional Needs Payments
If you are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or Supplementary Welfare Allowance, or on a low income, you may be able to obtain a single one-off payment if unforeseen expense occurs. Apply to the Community Welfare Officer at your local Health Centre.
Urgent Needs Payment
Even if you are not currently receiving Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or Supplementary Welfare Allowance, you may still qualify for a one-off emergency payment. Apply to the Community Welfare Officer at your local Health Centre. If you are unsuccessful, you have the right of an appeal.
Household Benefits Package
If you receive Disability Allowance or Blind Pension you can apply for the following package provided:
a)you live alone
b)you live with another person with a disability or someone elderly, or
c)you live with a full-time carer
Note even if you do not fit into one of these categories you may still qualify. You can get the relevant forms at the Post Office or from: Free Schemes Section, Pension Services Office, College Road, Sligo. Telephone: (071) 916 9800 or Lo-Call: 1890 500 000
The package comprises the following:
1)Electricity allowance – this pays your standing charge and gives a fixed number of free units
2)Natural or bottled gas allowance – if you prefer, you can have the gas equivalent of the electricity allowance
3)Telephone allowance – this allows a certain sum off your telephone bill but can only be claimed by Eircom customers.
4)TV licence – if you qualify for the above, you automatically receive a free TV licence.
In addition to the benefits which are means tested, the following are available regardless of income:
For Blind / visually impaired people:
Free directory enquiries: available to Eircom customers. If you have difficulty using the phone book you can call the operator and be connected to a free ‘special enquiries service’ which is the equivalent of directory enquiries. You will receive a PIN which you quote, followed by your name. This is recognised on a database of blind / partially sighted users who are not charged for the call. To apply, phone 1800 574 574.
Braille / audio library: the National Council for the Blind of Ireland operates a Braille/audio tape library (and will provide the necessary equipment for the latter, at no cost). Contact them at: National Council for the Blind of Ireland, Whitworth Road, Drumcondra Road, Drumcondra, Dublin 9. Phone: 01 8307033, LoCall: 1850 334 353. Website:
For Deaf / hard of hearing:
Sign language interpreters: Irish Sign Link provides interpreters for Deaf and hearing-impaired people to assist in situations such as interviews, meetings, etc. Contact them at: Irish Sign Link, 25 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Fax: 6685029, phone/minicom: 608 0437 or email:
National relay service: a free text service for minicom users.
1800 207 900 (using minicom to a hearing person)
1800 207 800 (minicom to another minicom user)
1800 207 999 (emergency services)
STEP (Scheme for Text Telephone Equality of Payment): this allows a rebate of calls on your phone bill (currently 70%). Contact the National Association for Deaf People, 35 North Fredrick Street, Dublin 1, Phone: 872 3800, Fax: 872 3816, email:
Invalidity Pension
The following payment might be applicable to mature students or other non-traditional groups. This benefit is for people who were formerly able to work and who have already amassed a certain number of PRSI credits. You will also be entitled to a free travel pass. Claim forms available from your local Social Welfare Office or the Invalidity Pension Claims Section of the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
3. Health
Medical Card
Although most college provide free health care for staff and students, the following information is included for guidance.
Normally Medical Cards are issued to those whose income falls below a certain level. However, exceptions are sometimes made in the case of those who have special, i.e. more expensive treatment needs. If you are receiving a pension from another EU country, but are living here and are not in paid employment, then you may also qualify for a medical card. If you do receive one, you are entitled to free GP/hospital/medicines/optical/aural and dental services.
Note: anyone who suffers from Hepatitis C as a result of contaminated blood products used in Ireland will receive a “Health Amednment Act Services Card” entitling them to most of the medical card benefits but without the need for a means test.
GP Visit Card
These are issued to people on low incomes – but not low enough to qualify for a medical card. It entitles you to GP services but nothing else. For all of the above, apply to your Local Health Office. There is also an appeal procedure if you are unsuccessful via the designated appeals officer in the HSE.
Hospitals
There is a charge for each day you spend in hospital on a public ward, unless you have a medical card. If you cannot afford this you can write to the particular hospital involved, and request a waiver.
Out Patients
If a GP refers you there is no charge, but if you have no medical card and have to go to the A&E, you have to pay. However, if you return for subsequent visits due to the same problem, there is no further charge.
Long Term Illness Scheme
Regardless of income, drugs for the following conditions are free:
Cerebral Palsy
Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes Insipidus
Diabetes Mellitus
Epilepsy
Haemophilia
Hydrocephalus
Leukaemia (acute)
Mental Handicap
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Parkinson’s Disease
Phenylketonuria
Spina Bifida
Apply to your Local Health Office.
Drugs Payment Scheme
This entitles an individual – or a family – to pay a certain sum per month towards the total cost of required medication, appliances etc. The rest is free. Your local pharmacy or health office will have the registration forms.
Note: once registered you must continue using the same pharmacy and you will be given a plastic swipe card which must be presented each time you have a prescription filled.
Aural / Dental / Optical Services
All of these are free to medical card holders and anyone who qualifies for the Treatment Benefit Scheme. This scheme is available to those formerly in full-time employment who have amassed sufficient PRSI credits and who is now in receipt of an Invalidity Pension or Disability Benefit. Apply to: Treatment Benefit Section, Department of Social and Family Affairs, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Phone: 704 3000, Lo-Call 1890 400 400
Appliances etc
Help in buying these is given to medical card holders and those registered as having chronic conditions. In either case, VAT refunds are generally available. Contact VAT Repayments Section, Government Buildings, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co. Clare. Lo-Call 1890 202 033 or visit
Citizens Advice also has a website and contact number: and 1890 277 478.
In addition, the voluntary organisation dealing with your specific condition will have more information (see end of document for a list).
4. Transport
Free Travel
This is available to all those receiving Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and anyone receiving these or similar benefits frm another EU state and who is permanently residen there.