giving up full time work

kittensoft1984

Hey,

I know this is probably the wrong place but I did look at couldn't find anywhere else for it.

Anyway, my dad was diagnosed with leukemia and is need of full time care. As my mam cannot afford to give up work I have decided that I will for the time being to care for him.

Does anyone know of any grants/social welfare payments I would be entitled to? Im 24 and have been working full time for the past 7 years..?

Help much appreciated!

Ps: mods feel free to move if this is the wrong place.

Sephiroth_dude

you might be entitled to a carers allowance,could be wrong though.

Serafijn

If you are a a full-time carer you are entitled to various benefits. Have a look here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Pages/carers.aspx, it has a full explanation of what you get and how you claim it.

All the best.

She Devil

Unfortunately for you OP, people like you aren't looked after well enough.
Carers allowance is means tested. It is an allowance which will give you little more than the dole each week, its is about 240€ ...
if you aren't successful for this you may qualify for their half rate carers allowance which again is considerably less.
Their terms also include you cant work or study for more than 10hrs a week.
If you live with your parents i don't think you may qualify for this though, as they may mean test your parents! pensions etc will be included.
You will definately qualify for the Respite care grant.
This is exactly the same criteria as the carers allowance, you have to be caring for the person for a large number of hours a day, you cant work more than 15hrs a week. But it is only a once a year payment of 1700€, you should apply for this in May so you may get paid next summer.
If you get carers you will automatically get this grant each year.
I hope that made sense. I worked there for a spell, if you don't understand that fully send me a pm by all means.

taram

Hey OP, am sorry to hear that news. She Devil has covered the allowance pretty well. Try get in touch with your local carer's group, they can provide information and support for you. Good luck.

daftdave

also the citizen's advice bureau may have some information for you.

Mrs OBumble

Go to the welfare office. Get into the Information queue. Explain the situation to them, and ask them to tell you what, if anything, you are eligible for.

Don't start the conversation by asking about any specific allowance etc. If you do that, then their thinking is "ahh, this is a XXX query" and they get into the mindset of just answering questions about XXX.

If you're unlucky enough to get someone who says you're not eligible for anything, then use the information from this thread to prompt them to think again - ideally to go and consult a supervisor etc who will know more.

Good luck.

very miffed dub

You should apply for Carer's Benefit immediately. It's not means tested and you can get it for two years.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW49/Pages/1WhatisCarersBenefit.aspx

It says you have to apply for it 10 weeks before you finish up work but this can be waived.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/carers_ben.aspx

"Late Claims
A late claim will be accepted for up to eight weeks after caring has commenced where an emergency caring situation has arisen and the claimant had to take up caring duties immediately. A claim later than eight weeks may be accepted at the discretion of the Deciding Officer where s/he considers there was good cause throughout the period of delay, but payment cannot be made in respect of a period more than 6 months prior to the date of claim.

Good cause may be shown to exist where wrong information received from the Department prevented a person making a claim to Carer's Benefit at the correct time.

See the separate guidelines on ' Claims and Late Claims' for further information on late claims and other circumstances in which backdated payment of the benefit or increases for qualified child/ren may be made."

Also the time allowed to work or study was increased to 15 hours a week a few years ago.

Hope this helps.

japbyrne

If you tell welfare you are leaving a full time job,its quite possible you will not qualify for welfare.
Because when you sign you have to be available for work, and you have just left a job.
Now, if you were let go,;) then you have no job.

Mrs OBumble

japbyrne wrote: »

If you tell welfare you are leaving a full time job,its quite possible you will not qualify for welfare.
Because when you sign you have to be available for work, and you have just left a job.
Now, if you were let go,;) then you have no job.

That is correct, but only if someone is applying for the unemployment benefit. This is a totally different situation.

kittensoft1984

Hey all,

thank you all for your replies. I have left work now.

got an email from the citizens advice place and have to go and see them

Mrs OBumble

kittensoft1984 wrote: »

Hey all,

thank you all for your replies. I have left work now.

got an email from the citizens advice place and have to go and see them

Citizens Advice are well meaning, but sometimes they have the general advice rather than the specifics.

For example, their info says that you need to be habitually resident to qualify for any benefit, that this means having lived here for two years. However clued-up Welfare staff know that there are other ways to qualify.

So take the CA advice with a smile, but focus your real communications efforts with Welfare.