Guide to Entitlements and Supports for
Children and their Parents
2016
Contents
Introduction
1Financial Supports
1.1Child Benefit
1.2Domiciliary Care Allowance
1.3Carers Allowance
1.4Half Rate Carers Allowance
1.5Household Benefits Package
1.6Carers Benefit
1.7Carers Support Grant
1.8Free Preschool Year
1.9Disability Allowance
2Travel
2.1Public transport - Free Travel
2.2Car -Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme
2.3Primary Medical Certificate………………………………………………...... 11
2.4Disabled Parking
2.5 Disabled Drivers and Road Tolls…………………………………………...... 12
2.6 Mobility Allowance & Motorised Transport Grant
3Health Costs
3.1Medical Card
3.2GP Visit Card
3.3HSE Income Guidelines for Medical and GP Visit Cards
3.4GP Visit Card for Children Under 6………………………………………14
3.5Long Term Illness & Disability Scheme
3.6Drugs Payment Scheme
3.7Health & Medical Expenses Relief (MED 1 & 2)
3.8Diet Supplement
3.8Heating Supplement
3.1.1 Supply of Nappies Scheme…………………………………………………17
4Employment: Taking time off
4.1Carers Leave
4.2Carers and PRSI Contributions
4.3 Parental Leave
4.4Force Majeure Leave
4.5 Paternity Leave……………………………………………………………… 20
5Tax Breaks
5.1Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
5.2Home Carer Tax Credit
5.3Employing a Carer
5.4 Local Property Tax……………………………………………………………21
6Housing
6.1Housing Adaptation Grant
6.2Mobility Aids Grant
6.3Refund of VAT when Extending or Adapting your home
6.4Refund of Vat on Aids and Appliances
7Respite Care
7.1What is respite care?
7.2Children’s Home Based Respite Services
7.2 (a) CRC Home Respite Service
7.2 (b)Jack and Jill Foundation
7.2 (c)HSE Funded Home Care Packages
7.3 Children’s Residential Respite Services
7.3 (a)CASA Break houses
7.3 (b)Laura Lynn
7.3 (c)Teenage Breaks – Irish Wheelchair Association
8Other
8.1Assessment of Need
Compiled by Aoife Timothy
2016
Introduction
Welcome to the CRC. This booklet provides basic information about the supports available to parents and to their children. We have included the schemes that we know parents use to support them in their care.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included; updates will be made available on the CRC website.
If you have a specific question or are unsure about any of the information your Social Worker is available to go through the information and support you.
Geraldine Prunty,
Principal Social Worker
2016
1Financial Supports
1.1Child Benefit
Children with a disability are entitled to the usual children’s allowances. The Department of Social Protection pays Child Benefit to parents for each child living with them and being supported by them. The payment is monthly and is not means tested.
You will qualify if your child is:
-normally living with and being supported by you
-is under the age of 16
-or aged 16, 17 and in fulltime education or is aged 16, 17 with a disability.
Number Of Children / Monthly Rate 20161 Child / €140
2 Children / €280
3 Children / €420
4 Children / €560
The rate is €140 per child. For twin children and other multiple births special rates apply:
- For twin children child benefit is 1.5 times the appropriate for each child.
- Where the multiple births involve three or more children, the rate of benefit paid is double the appropriate monthly rate.
Application forms are available from your local Post Office or Child Benefit Information LoCall 1890 400 400,
1.2Domiciliary Care Allowance
This is a monthly payment from the Department of Social Protection to the parent or carer of a child with a disability. To qualify the child must need substantially more care and supervision than other children of the same age. The allowance is in recognition of the additional care and attention needed to care for child with a disability.
Parent’s income is not taken into account however any income the child may have is taken into account e.g. money from a compensation settlement. The allowance is available from birth up to 16 years. The allowance is payable from the date of application. The payment is €309.50 per month plus an annual Carer’s Support Grant of €1,700 (June, 2016).
To see if your child qualifies, you and your child’s doctor need to complete the application form. Application forms are available from Social Work CRC or from Domiciliary Care Allowance, Department of Social Protection, College Road, Sligo, Tel. (071) 915 7100, Locall 1890 500 000 or
1.3Carers Allowance
This is a weekly payment to carers who look after a child or an adult in need of fulltime care and attention. It is a means-tested payment and there is a medical assessment. If your child currently receives the Domiciliary Care Allowance it is viewed that you already meet the medical assessment criteria.
The amount of an applicant’s weekly income that is not counted as means for Carer's Allowance means test is €332.50 for a single person and €665 for a couple (2016).
If you care for more than one person you may be entitled to up to 50% extra of the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance each week. There is also an additional payment for carers who themselves are aged 66 years or over.
You will qualify if you the Carer meet the following requirements:
- Are aged 18 or over
- Satisfy the means test
- Are caring for the person(s) on a full-time basis
- Be living with the person you are looking after, or be in a position to provide full time care and attention to a person who is not living with you
- Are not employed or self-employed outside the home in excess of 15 hours per week
- Satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition
& If the person you are Caring for:
- Must require full-time care and attention because of his/her disability (medical certification is required).
- However where Domiciliary Care Allowance is being paid no medical certification is required.
You may also claim an additional payment for each of your children. The maximum weekly payment is€204 with a Qualified Child Payment €29.80 per week per child (2016).
Application forms are available for download from or from your local Citizen Information Office or Social Welfare Office or call LoCall Leaflet Request Line on 1890 20 23 25, or from the Carer’s Allowance Section, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Tel. 043 45211/ 01 7043000.
1.4Half Rate Carers Allowance
If you are a full-time carer and are getting certain social welfare payment e.g. One Parent Family Payment/State pension or you are a Qualified Adult on your spouse’s or partner’s payment you may keep your current social welfare payment and receive a half rate Carers Allowance.
The exception to this is if you are in receipt of a Jobseekers Benefit/ Allowance. However if you are a qualified adult on your partner’s or spouse’s Jobseekers Allowance/ Benefit you can qualify for the half rate Carer’s Allowance.
To qualify you and the person you are caring for must satisfy the conditions of caring as outlined for the Carer’s Allowance. The weekly payment is
€102 (2016).
Application forms are available for download from from your local Citizen Information Office or Social Welfare Office or call LoCall Leaflet Request Line on 1890 20 23 25, or from the Carer’s Allowance Section, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Tel. 043 45211/ 01 7043000.
1.5Household Benefits Package
All people receiving a Carer’s Allowance are entitled to apply for the Household Benefits Package. To qualify the carer must be living with the person they are caring for.
The package includes:
- €35 per month Electricity/ Natural Gas/ Bottled Gas Refill Allowance
- A Free Television Licence
Application form HB1 can be downloaded from or from your local Citizen Information Office or Social Welfare Office or call LoCall Leaflet Request Line on 1890 20 23 25. Household Benefits Package, Department of Social Protection, College Road, Sligo.
1.6Carers Benefit
If you leave the workforce to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention, you may qualify for a weekly Carer's Benefit payment based on your own P.R.S.I. contributions. This is a short-term scheme payable up to a maximum of 2 years. You can claim it for a continuous period of 2 years or in separate periods adding up to 2 years.
You will qualify if you the Carer:
- have been employed for 8 weeks during the previous 26 weeks,
- have enough PRSI contributions
- give up employment to care for a person on a full-time basis (this employment must have been for a minimum of 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight)
- are not employed or self-employed outside the home for more than 15 hours a week.
The person(s) you are caring for:
- Must require full-time care and attention because of his/her disability (medical certification is required).
- However where Domiciliary Care Allowance is being paid no medical certification is required.
The weekly rate of payment when caring for one person is €205 (2016) per week. You may also claim an additional payment of €29.80 per week for each of your children.
Further information and application form ‘CARB1’are available for download from your local Social Welfare or Citizen Information Centre. Carer's Benefit Section, GovernmentBuilding, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Telephone (043) 334 0000, LoCall 1890 92 77 70.
1.7Carer’s Support Grant
The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment of €1,700 to carers who look after people in need of full-time care and attention.
If you are caring and not in receipt of one of the above payments you may apply. The payment is made regardless of the carer’s means but is subject to certain conditions.
You will qualify if you the carer:
- are aged 16 or over /are ordinarily resident in the State/care for the person on a full-time basis,
- care for the person for at least six months - this period of care must include the first Thursday in June,
- live with the person you are looking after or can be contacted quickly by a direct system of communication (for example, a telephone or alarm) between your home and the home of the person you are caring for.
Also, the person you are caring for must:
- Be incapacitated as to need full-time care and attention (medical certification is required), for at least six months.
- Not normally live in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution or not receive full-time care and attention within their home from another person.
You will not qualify if you the carer are:
- working outside the home for more than 15 hours a week,
or - getting or are entitled to Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance or signing for Jobseeker Credits
From June 2016, the Carer’s Support Grant is €1,700 for each person you are caring for. It is paid once a year by cheque. Carers who are looking after more than one person receive double the amount.
Application forms ‘RCG1’ are available for download from from your local Citizen Information Office or Social Welfare Office or call LoCall Leaflet Request Line on 1890 20 23 25, Carer’s Support Grant Section, PO Box 10085, Dublin 2, Tel. 01 673 2222.
1.8Free Preschool Year
The EarlyChildhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme provides for a free pre-school year for children for the year before they start in primary school.
If your child has been assessed as having a disability and would benefit from attending pre-school for 2/3 days a week rather than 5 days each week, they can be allowed to spread their free pre-school year over a 2-year period. For example, a child with special needs may attend a pre-school service for 2 days per week in the first year and 3 days per week in the subsequent year.
To request a spreading of the ECCE year over a 2-year period for a child with a disability, write to the Department by the July the year you child will start in preschool. Enclose a recent and detailed assessment report from the HSE/CRC or where this is not available an assessment report from the treating consultant, not GP, will be accepted.
Free Pre-School Year / Children must have been born between the following dates(both dates inclusive)
September 2016 –June 2017 / 1st of January 2012- 31st of August 2013
January 2017 –June2017 / 1st of January 2012 -31st of December 2013
April 2017 – June 2017 / 1st of January 2012 -31st of March 2014
To avail of the ECCE Scheme your child must be aged between 3 years and 2 month and 4 years 6 months on 1st September of the year that they will be starting.
From September 2016, the ECCE scheme will be extended to children aged between 3 years and 5 years 6 months, or until they start primary school. This increases the number of weeks available on the ECCE scheme. Children will be able to enroll in pre-school at 3 different points in the year (September, January and April) in order to access the scheme.
The state pays the child care provider directly. To get a place for your child, apply to a participating playschool or daycare centre.
For more information contact Childcare Directorate, Department of Children and Youth Affairs, 43-49 Mespil Road, Dublin 4, Tel:(01) 647 3000, Email or see
1.9Disability Allowance
This is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability who are aged 16 and over and under the age of 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical suitability and a means test. For families that receive the Domiciliary Care Allowance, this payment stops when your child reaches the age of 16 and the Disability Allowance is paid to the child in his/her own right.
Disability Allowance / 2016Personal Rate / €188.00
Qualified Adult / €124.80
Qualified Child Full Rate / €29.80
Qualified Child Half Rate / €14.90
Application forms for the Disability Allowance are available from the Social Work Department, CRC and the Disability Allowance Section, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Tel. 01 7043948/ 043 45211.
2Travel
2.1Public transport - Free Travel
Everyone awarded the Carers Allowance or the Disability Allowance is entitled to a Free Travel Pass. With this pass you can travel for free on all public transport e.g. Trains, Dublin Bus, Dart, Luas and on a limited number of private transport companies. Free Travel is also available on Cross-Border bus and rail journeys between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
If you are in receipt of the Disability Allowance and have a FreeTravelPass you are entitled to a FreeTravelPass that allows your partner to accompany you free of charge when travelling. This does not apply to people under age 66 who are getting a Carer's Allowance.
In addition, some people who are unable to use the pass because they are unable to travel alone may get a Companion Free Travel Pass. This allows the holder to be accompanied by any person over 16 years of age, free of charge.
Application forms ‘FT1’for Free Travel are available for download on from Free Travel Section, Pension Services Office, College Road, Sligo LoCall1890 500 000 or LoCall Leaflet Line 1890 20 23 25 or from your LocalCitizensInformation Centre or Social Welfare Office.
2.2Car -Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme
This scheme from Revenue is to help with the costs involved in buying and adapting a car for the use of a person with a disability or to transport a person with a disability. To qualify for the scheme the person with the disability (adult or child) must hold a Primary Medical Certificate. The car can be new or secondhand but must have an Adaptation to qualify
Benefits
- An exemption or claim back the VAT on the car, the VRT on the car and the VAT on the adaption up to a total maximum of €15,875 for a disabled passenger or €9,525 for a disabled driver.
- Exemption from Road Tax.
- You can claim back excise duty on fuel used in the vehicle to transport the person with a disability up to a maximum of 2,728 litres a year.
- Exemption on toll road fees.
Further terms and conditions apply and for more detailed information and application forms please see VRT7 booklet on or contact Revenue Commissioners, Central Repayments Office, Freepost M: TEK II Building, Monaghan, Telephone LoCall: 1890 60 60 61 or 047 62100.
2.3Primary Medical Certificate is a certificate issued by the HSE that certifies the extent and permanent nature of a disability. To qualify for the Cert. there are specific medical criteria. For further information and an application form please contact your Local HSE Health Centre.
2.4Disabled Parking
The EUDisabled Person’s Parking Permit is issued by either Disabled Drivers Association or The Irish Wheelchair Association. By displaying the EU Disabled Person’s Parking Permit or Card on your windscreen you are entitled to park in the disabled person’s parking spaces. If your child has a Primary Medical Cert or is Registered Blind you are eligible for the Permit. If you do not have a Primary Medical Certificate you can still apply and will be assessed on medical suitability. There is an application form and fee for the Permit.
For further information please contact Disabled Drivers Association, Ballindine, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Tel. 094 936 4054 / 094 936 4266, email or the Irish Wheelchair Association,Ballinagappa Rd, Clane,Co Kildare, Tel. 045 893094.
2.5Disabled Drivers and Road Tolls
Specially adapted vehicles driven by disabled persons are exempt from tolls on each toll road in the state. Toll road operators currently issue special passes to facilitate such exempt passage. Passes issued by any one operator will be accepted by all other toll road operators.
For more information please contact the National Roads Authority on 01 6602511 , or your local toll operator.
2.6 Mobility Allowance & Motorised Transport Grant
Both schemes are now closed to new applicants and are being reviewed with a view to an alternative support replacing them.
3Health Costs
3.1Medical Card
The Health Services Executive (HSE) administers and provides medical cards. Medical Card holders are entitled to a range of health services free of charge. These include doctors, hospital services and prescribed equipment. Medical card holders are charged €2.50 per item dispensed by your pharmacists with a maximum charge of €25 a month per family.
Most people have to have means below a certain limit in order to qualify. Your income after Tax, USC and PRSI deductions is assessed. Deductions are also made for your rent or mortgage costs, childcare expenses and travel to work expenses. You are also given an allowance for each of your dependent children. This allowance is then deducted from your income for the purposes of assessment of your means.