Carers Entitlements

Urgent Needs Payments

Urgent Needs Payments are payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. You do not have to meet the habitual residence condition to qualify for an urgent needs payment. COVID-19 (coronavirus) If your employment (or self-employment) has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, or if you are sick or caring for someone who

Blind Person’s Tax Credit

If you are blind or you have impaired vision during the tax year, you can claim the Blind Person’s Tax Credit. If you are married or in a civil partnership and you are both blind, you receive a doubled tax credit. The Blind Person’s Tax Credit is: €1,650 per year for

Public Services Card

A Public Services Card is usually issued when you are allocated a PPS number. If you apply for, or are currently getting a social welfare payment (including Child Benefit) you will be asked to register for your Public Services Card. If you don’t yet have a Public Services Card, you can

Payments to Carers

Carers may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. If you are caring for someone, a disabled child or adult or an older person, you may qualify for a carer’s payment. The two main social welfare payments for carers providing full-time

Benefits and Entitlements Relating to Birth and Children

If you are having a baby in Ireland, there is a range of supports for parents and children. This document gives a general overview of these supports. Health and safety If you become pregnant while in employment and you are exposed to certain risks in the workplace, or you are

Mortgage Interest Supplement

Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) provides short-term support to help you pay your mortgage interest repayments. Since 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme has been closed to new entrants and no new applications have been accepted since this date. This did not affect people who were getting Mortgage Interest Supplement before

GP Services to Medical Card Holders

General Practitioners (GPs) provide services to medical card holders free of charge. GPs in the General Medical Services (GMS) Scheme enter into contracts with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide services. Patients may generally choose their doctor from a panel of doctors who are part of the scheme, provided

Prescribed Drugs and Medicines

If you are ordinarily resident, you are entitled to either free or subsidised approved prescribed drugs and medicines and certain medical and surgical aids and appliances. Changes to prescription rules in response to COVID-19 On 3 April 2020, the Minister for Health announced changes to how prescriptions are issued and repeated for the

Claiming for an Adult Dependant

If you qualify for a social welfare payment you get an amount for yourself, which is called the ‘personal rate of payment’. You may also get an extra amount for your adult dependant (called a qualified adult) which is paid as an increase to your personal payment (called an Increase

HomeCaring Periods Scheme

The HomeCaring Periods Scheme makes it easier for people who take time out of their working life to care for children or adults to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory). Under the Scheme, periods of time when you were caring for someone can be included in your social insurance record. The