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Carers benefit and means test

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  • 30-07-2020 7:54pm
    #1
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭


    What is the income threshold for carers benefit?

    Wife’s father has fallen ill, lives with us so she can not go back to work. Wondering does she qualify?

    I would be a relatively high earner.


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    #2
    gerard2210
    Registered Users Posts: 547 ✭✭✭gerard2210


    893bet wrote: »
    What is the income threshold for carers benefit?

    Wife’s father has fallen ill, lives with us so she can not go back to work. Wondering does she qualify?

    I would be a relatively high earner.

    Carers benefit isn't means tested. Provided your wife has enough stamps to claim the benefit, it will be paid for 2 years. Then she moves on to carers allowance which is means tested. Check out the citizens information website for more details.


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    #3
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    gerard2210 wrote: »
    Carers benefit isn't means tested. Provided your wife has enough stamps to claim the benefit, it will be paid for 2 years. Then she moves on to carers allowance which is means tested. Check out the citizens information website for more details.

    Thanks! I called it carers benefit by mistake! Didn’t even know there was a thing. Had only seen carers allowance.

    Thanks. Sadly I don’t think we will need to worry about it longer than 2 years.


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    #4
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    893bet wrote: »
    What is the income threshold for carers benefit?

    Wife’s father has fallen ill, lives with us so she can not go back to work. Wondering does she qualify?

    I would be a relatively high earner.

    As the previous poster stated, there’s no means test for Benefit, it’s PRSI related for 104 weeks.


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    #5
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    What proof is needed that the person requires care?

    Doctors letter or is it more in-depth?


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    #6
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    893bet wrote: »
    What proof is needed that the person requires care?

    Doctors letter or is it more in-depth?

    Here’s the application. There’s a whole section for the carees GP to complete.

    https://assets.gov.ie/19923/2847745f86944188b90be0e885bf4a01.pdf


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  • Options
    #7
    endofrainbow
    Registered Users Posts: 2,598 ✭✭✭endofrainbow


    It's a very detailed and laborious process. In depth medical assessment. You will be visited by a SW Inspector who will ask about the day to day care that he needs - they go into a lot of details.

    Wait times for decisions are around 26 weeks. In my experience, it's one of the hardest SW schemes to qualify for.


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    #8
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    endofrainbow wrote: »
    It's a very detailed and laborious process. In depth medical assessment. You will be visited by a SW Inspector who will ask about the day to day care that he needs - they go into a lot of details.

    Wait times for decisions are around 26 weeks. In my experience, it's one of the hardest SW schemes to qualify for.

    This person is applying for Carers benefit, not allowance. The inspector never visits in the case of benefit as it’s usually a crisis and the wait time is 12 weeks.


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    #9
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    On part 5 of the form "details of your qualified children"

    Do we complete this? we have one child but my wife is applying to be carer for her dad so I assume the child is not relevant?


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    #10
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    893bet wrote: »
    On part 5 of the form "details of your qualified children"

    Do we complete this? we have one child but my wife is applying to be carer for her dad so I assume the child is not relevant?

    Your wife may get extra money in respect of your child if your (her husbands) income is within a certain range. That’s why they’re asking for details of children for whom you both are financially responsible.


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    #11
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    splinter65 wrote: »
    Your wife may get extra money in respect of your child if your (her husbands) income is within a certain range. That’s why they’re asking for details of children for whom you both are financially responsible.


    Ah. Unlikely I am within that range. Will mark as N/A so.



    Thanks,


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    #12
    dartboardio
    Registered Users Posts: 2,436 ✭✭✭dartboardio


    893bet wrote: »
    Ah. Unlikely I am within that range. Will mark as N/A so.



    Thanks,

    You would be surprised at how many people say that, and actually end up being entitled to some extra. I'd still put all details down on the form! :)


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    #13
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    Struggling with the form.


    Wife is both partime employed-PAYE (contract adhoc teaching hours any where from 4-12 per week)
    And self employed part-time.

    PAYE employer has filled in the form and my wife would not have worked more than 16 hrs per week ever for them-(This would mean she doesnt qualify if this was her only source of work, only paid for contact hours of course so nothing for prep work etc. ).

    Her self employment would have been more that 16hr a week every week regardless but there doesnt seem to be anywhere on the form for that to be filled in.

    Any guidance?


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    #14
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    ****ing joke.

    Self employed hours not included so she won’t meet the 16 hours a week payment.

    Very disappointing.


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    #15
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    893bet wrote: »
    ****ing joke.

    Self employed hours not included so she won’t meet the 16 hours a week payment.

    Very disappointing.
    I can't find this explained anywhere, I can see where people who are solely self employed are not entitled to this because PRSI rate S is not one of the qualifying rates, but nowhere does it say you can't combine employed and self employed hours, what exactly did the rejection letter say, I personally would be appealing it, does she meet all the other conditions of the scheme i.e. correct number of PRSI contributions etc.

    https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d77139-operational-guidelines-carers-benefit/


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    #16
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    august12 wrote: »
    I can't find this explained anywhere, I can see where people who are solely self employed are not entitled to this because PRSI rate S is not one of the qualifying rates, but nowhere does it say you can't combine employed and self employed hours, what exactly did the rejection letter say, I personally would be appealing it, does she meet all the other conditions of the scheme i.e. correct number of PRSI contributions etc.

    https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d77139-operational-guidelines-carers-benefit/

    We didn’t formally apply. We were told this on the phone with the section that it was “unlikely” due to the hours.

    Prsi contributions should be ok. She could have claimed maternity from either her self employment contributions or her paye ones.

    You are right. Stick it in. Let them reject. Then appeal it.


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    #17
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    893bet wrote: »
    We didn’t formally apply. We were told this on the phone with the section that it was “unlikely” due to the hours.

    Prsi contributions should be ok. She could have claimed maternity from either her self employment contributions or her paye ones.

    You are right. Stick it in. Let them reject. Then appeal it.
    Yes, definitely apply for it and appeal if it's a no, nothing to lose only your sanity trying to compete these forms, I often think they are designed this way to discourage people from filling them.


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    #18
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    The form calls for a "statement from accountant if self employed"

    What is this supposed to state?


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    #19
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    893bet wrote: »
    The form calls for a "statement from accountant if self employed"

    What is this supposed to state?
    I think it's self employed most recent set of accounts which accountant would have completed or if no accountant and you return your own accounts through revenue, you can download your returns from revenue site, I think.


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    #20
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,739 ✭✭✭893bet


    Rejected. Stated she did not work the minimum 16 hrs per week.

    Application clearly showed that no, in the PAYE she did not meet the 16 hrs but when the self employment was included that she clearly did.

    Going to appeal......


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    #21
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    893bet wrote: »
    Rejected. Stated she did not work the minimum 16 hrs per week.

    Application clearly showed that no, in the PAYE she did not meet the 16 hrs but when the self employment was included that she clearly did.

    Going to appeal......
    And ask them to clarify where in the terms and conditions self employed hours are excluded.
    Get representation from a TD, explain your case to them, you have to fight tooth and nail to get any support in this country.


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