Carers Allowence

Joey the lips

Hi Folks.

Wondered if you can help. Am due to finish up on my stamps this year and will have to transfere from Carers benefit to carers allowence.

However all the website says is the carers allowence is paid.........Blahh Blahh Blahh

and the half rate is paid if you are already receiving another social welfare payment.

What i need to know does anyone know if the carers allowence is means tested based on another person working in the house. Or is it just the packages of esb/gas thats meanstested.

If you catch my drift.

Shifty

Carer's Allowance is a means tested payment:

The Carer's Allowance is not payable to everyone, it is mainly aimed at carers on low incomes who live with and look after certain people who need full-time care and attention.

What counts as means?

Your means are any income you or your spouse/partner have or property (except your home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide you with an income, for example, an occupational pension, pensions/benefits from another country.

How means are assessed:

The means test for the Carer's Allowance involves assessing your income (excluding your home). Since April 2008, the amount of weekly income that is not taken into account is €332.50.

In the case of a married/cohabiting couple's income (except for social welfare payments from other states, to which special rules apply), From April 2008, the first €665 of their combined weekly income is disregarded.


http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/carers/carers_allowance

kangaroo

One payment that carers can get which isn't means-tested is the respite care grant. This is E1700 per year. It can be spent on anything it seems and one doesn't have to spend money on respite at all so is basically like E33.50 or so a week.

Lorraine44

Hi anyone out there who knows how the carers allowance works I applied for it last November 2011 for my mother I was refused in july2012on the basis I didn't give them means of earnings which I don't have cos I am not getting a penny from anywhere only for my brother helping me I don't know were I be it now on appeal with a deciding officer my brother can only help me so much my bills are piling up I have 3 children to look after I feel the stress and worry is making me I'll my mother needs me she is 75 years and don't want to see her go to a nursing home when I can give her the care and love she needs but I can't go on living on noting wat are they playing at when people like us are willing to take on the role of a carer and it's not easy they expect us to do it without been paid has anyone out there got any suggestions as to wat I can do please help thanks Lorraine.

jackiekenny

Iv been looking after my brother for last 3 years am unemployed & living alone don't want money for looking after him but needed full time now as he cant move around for last 9 months so am only now applying for carer's allowance seems so complicated his full left leg been amputated shortly so going to need all kind of care any advice much appreciated thank you