To qualify for a medical card your weekly income must be below a certain figure for your family size. Here we explain the means test for those who are aged under 70. See also other information about the medical card and how to apply.
There are different means test rules for those over 70 years of age.
The assessment of a couple for medical card purposes is based on the age of the older person.
Income, savings, investments and property (except for your own home) are taken into account in the means test. However, there are certain exceptions.
If your income is above the guidelines you will automatically be assessed for the GP visit card which has higher income limits. You can also apply for the Drugs Payment Scheme.
There are some categories of people exempt from the means test, including people entitled to a medical card under EU Regulations.
According to the HSE’s guidelines, if your income is derived solely from social welfare allowances or benefits or HSE allowances, you should be granted a medical card even though your payment may be in excess of the income guidelines for your age and situation.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is regarded as employment income in the means test. You should include the payment in the box for Jobseekers Allowance income on the application form.
Assessment of income
Weekly income limit (gross less tax, Universal Social Charge and PRSI)
| Category | Aged under 66 | Aged over 66 |
| Single person living alone | €184 | €201.50 |
| Single person living with family | €164 | €173.50 |
| Couple, married/cohabiting/civil partners (or lone parent with dependent children) | €266.50 | €298 |
| Allowance for each of first 2 children aged under 16 | €38 | €38 |
| Allowance for 3rd and each subsequent child under 16 | €41 | €41 |
| Allowance for each of first 2 children aged over 16 (with no income) | €39 | €39 |
| Allowance for 3rd and each subsequent child over 16 (with no income) | €42.50 | €42.50 |
| Each dependant over 16 years in full-time third-level education, who is not grant aided | €78 | €78 |
The following expenses are allowable, which will increase the income limit:
- Childcare costs.
- Rent (not including amounts paid by Rent Supplement or Housing Assistance Payment).
- Reasonable mortgage payments (after mortgage allowance and tax relief is deducted) on family home and other land or property.
- Mortgage protection insurance and associated life assurance.
- Home insurance.
- Maintenance payments you make.
- Nursing home, private nursing or home care costs for the applicant or spouse.
- Costs of travelling to work:
- The cost of public transport.
- Driving expenses if a car is required, at a rate of 30 cent per mile/18 cent per km. If a couple needs two cars to travel to work, a double allowance applies. The cost of parking can be taken into account.
- Reasonable contributions towards carpooling costs.
If your income is over the limit, the deciding officer will consider whether it would cause you undue hardship if you are refused a medical card. If you think this may apply in your case, for example, if you have high medical expenses, you can include details of your circumstances when you apply.
If you don’t qualify for a medical card, you are then assessed for a GP visit card. If your income is over the relevant limit, the deciding officer will consider whether it would be ‘unduly burdensome’ for you to pay for GP Services if you don’t have a GP visit card.
If you have children under the age of 6 and they are not eligible for medical cards then they will be given GP visit cards for children under 6.
Income not taken into account
Certain compensation awards:
- Compensation payments made by the Residential Institutions Redress Board
- Repayments made under the Health (Repayment) Scheme (that is, the Nursing Home repayment scheme)
- Awards made to people who contracted Hepatitis C or HIV from contaminated blood products (together with income from the investment of that money)
- Ex-gratia payments approved by the Lourdes Hospital Redress Board under the terms of the Lourdes Hospital Redress Scheme 2007
Certain payments made by the State:
- HSE payments: Mobility Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance
- Social welfare payments: Working Family Payment, Child Benefit, Carer’s Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Guardian’s Payments; weekly supplements (such as a diet or heating supplement) paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme; Fuel, Island, Living Alone and Over 80 Allowances
- Other payments: Third-level educational maintenance grants, Rehabilitation Maintenance Allowance, Foster Care Allowance.
Earnings while on Disability Allowance
If you are getting Disability Allowance and working, income you earn up to €427 per week is not taken into account in the means test for the medical card.
Before 3 December 2018, the limit was €120 per week. This change to the medical card means test does not affect the means test for Disability Allowance.
Assessment of capital and property
All capital (savings and investments) is taken into account for medical card purposes. However, income from savings, investments or property of €36,000 for a single person or €72,000 for a couple is disregarded.
The value of your family home is not assessed.
For amounts over the disregard limits, interest is taken into account in the means test. You can request the actual rate of interest from savings and investments to be taken into account if you provide certificates of interest. Alternatively, a notional assessment of interest is used.
Notional assessment of interest
| Capital | Weekly means assessed |
| First €36,000 (single), €72,000 (couple) | Nil |
| Next €10,000 | €1 per €1,000 |
| Next €10,000 | €2 per €1,000 |
| Balance | €4 per €1,000 |
Certain specified types of State compensation are not assessable. Prize bonds are included in the amount assessed.
Property (other than the family home) If land or buildings are being leased, the income will be assessed after the deduction of mortgage payments and insurance premiums.
For land or buildings that are not being used but are capable of being leased or sold, the following assessment options can be used, with the more beneficial option applying to the applicant:
- Notional assessment of the rental/lease “going rate” for the area.
- Assessment of capital value as outlined in the table for capital shown above.
Further information
Read more information about the medical card, including how to apply.
The HSE has published Medical Card National Assessment Guidelines.
There is also an update to the assessment guidelines for medical cards and GP visit cards during the coronavirus pandemic (pdf).
