Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal Fianna Fáil TD, Charlie McConalogue, has confirmed the payment of the Carer’s Support Grant to 5,240 carers across Donegal.
The annual grant of €1,850 is in recognition of the key role carers play every single day.
It is available to all carers providing full-time care to an older person or a person with a disability, regardless of their means or social insurance contributions.
The grant is paid to take account of the additional cost of providing care and to recognise the particular challenges faced by these carers.
The Carer’s Support Grant is paid automatically to all recipients of Carer’s Allowance (whether full rate or half rate), Carer’s Benefit, or Domiciliary Care Allowance. It is also available to other full-time carers who are not receiving any of these payments.
Confirming the payment of the Carer’s Support Grant, Minister McConalogue said: “Thank you to all carers in Donegal for the vital and valuable contribution you play in supporting those that need help and assistance.
“As we work towards the next Budget, our carers will be front and centre of our approach in Government and our ambition is to support them even further.”
How to Qualify for Carer’s Support Grant:
You automatically qualify for the Carer’s Support Grant if you get Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA).
If you are not getting any of these payments, you may still qualify if you meet these conditions if:
- you are 16 or over
- you ordinarily reside in the Irish State
- you care for the person full time
- you have been caring for the person for a continuous period of at least six months, and this period includes the first Thursday in June
- you live with the person you are caring for or you are contactable quickly by a direct system of communication such as a telephone or an alarm
You do not qualify for Carer’s Support Grant if you are:
- working, self-employed, or on a training or education course for more than 18.5 hours a week. (Note: you must show us that the person you are caring for has adequate care while you are working, on an education course, or both)
- getting Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit
- signing on for credited contributions
- living in a hospital, convalescent home or similar institution
If you are caring for more than one person, you will get a grant for each person cared for.
The Carer’s Support Grant is exempt from income tax, PRSI and USC.
