Dad passed away - need some advice for Mam

artvanderlay

Hi,


My dad passed away a few days ago, and I'm trying to get my mother sorted out with her benefits. My dad was getting the State Pension, and Mam was getting Carers Allowance for him and for my brother, who is mentally disabled (Mum is 75, my brother is in his 40s).



1) Would she be entitled to any help towards the funeral costs? I think it's costing €5,000-6,000, and she can ill afford that, especially now that she is losing a chunk of her income with my dad dying.


2) Should she just stay on Carer's Allowance for my brother (she also gets his Disability Allowance), or should she swap to another payment (pension, for example)?


3) My dad had a disabled parking permit, because he could hardly walk. My disabled brother is not great in the walk either; would she be able to keep the permit for him?


Thanks for helping with the above or any other advice you can offer.

Hi sorry to hear about your dad

Did your dad have a credit union account.
If so check with them whether he had death cover with them. It will pay out a few thousand depending on the CU.
Also check with local social worker about funeral costs

If he was getting a pension from a government or semi state. He may have paid into a fund. When my own parents died we got part of the cost covered by the port and docks board.

Parking permit is in your dads name. It will need to be surrendered and your brother will need to apply for one. It's an offence to use someone else's.

Can't help with the rest.

Gael23

She should apply for the widows contributory pension based on your fathers PRSI and she will also get half of the carers allowance payment.

Did they have a credit union account ? Often they make a small payout on the death of a member

SourSessions

Sorry for your loss.

Not sure about all of your questions, but look into the Exceptional Needs Payment to help pay for the funeral.

artvanderlay

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll look into all your suggestions.

Bannasidhe

Sorry for your loss OP.

Contact the pensions dept - they will stop your Dad's pension but your Mam should be entitled to your Dad's pension for 6 weeks (sometimes they give it as a lump sum) and she should immediately claim for the widow's pension.
I don't know the ins and out of Carers tbh, but she may be able to get half carers.

I would suggest you give Citizen's Information a ring and they can advise.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/death_related_benefits/

atilladehun

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/death/money_matters_after_a_death/

Hope this helps.

Sorry for your loss.

artvanderlay

Thanks again for the replies and the links. I think Widow's Pension with Half-Rate Carer's will be the way to go, assuming she or dad has enough PRSI contributions. I'll have a chat with her to see what pension Dad was getting. Hopefully the Contributory one, so she can avoid a means test (not that she has much savings).

EverythingGood

Was in same situation last year when Dad died. Welfare are great in these situations, and they'll run the numbers and pay her what ever is the highest rate - for Mam it was widows pension.


The funeral grant takes into account the earning of any of your siblings also - so we didn't even bother applying. Make sure you apply for the household benefits package in her own name, if she qualifies.