Latest news with #LouiseO'Reilly
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Huge €2k lump sum boost for thousands of Irish TOMORROW after €150 increase – here's 3 eligible groups & rule exception
THOUSANDS of Irish people will receive a €2,000 social welfare payment boost straight into their accounts tomorrow. The lump sum, which The The payment, previously called the Respite Care Grant, can be used in whatever way a person likes - meaning they don't have to use it for a temporary respite break. The grant is paid out automatically to carers getting This year, the payment will land into accounts on June 5. READ MORE IN MONEY There are You can qualify for the payment if you are aged over 16, ordinarily resident in Ireland and caring for the person a full-time basis for at least six months - including the first Thursday in June. You must also be living with the person being cared for, or meet certain criteria. In a situation like this, where the carer and person being cared for live separately, an investigation is conducted by a MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN During the six-month caring period, a person cannot work or take part in an education course for more than 18.5 hours weekly, get Jobseeker's Allowance or Benefit, sign on for credited contributions or live in a hospital, convalescent home or similar institution. New online application system opens for €360 or €180 Domiciliary Care Allowance applications The carer also must be providing full-time care and attention and carer's personal circumstances must be suitable to allow them to provide full time care and attention. ARE APPLICATIONS STILL OPEN? The Carer's Support Grant is not a means-tested payment and only one can be paid for each person getting care. If you are getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance, you do not need to apply for the money. Instead, you will automatically get it in June. However, those not getting one of the above payments should fill in the Carer's Support Grant application form (CSG1) for each person they are caring for. Applications for the Carer's Support Grant are open from April until 31 December of the following year - meaning those eligible who haven't applied won't miss out on the cash payment. And those who were eligible for the payment last summer but didn't receive it can still apply. For example, you can apply for the Carer's Support Grant for 2024 at any time from April 2024 up until 31 December 2025. And you can apply for the Carer's Support Grant in 2025 at any time from April 2025 up until 31 December 2026. €250 & €500 INCREASE COST MINISTER for Social Protection Dara Calleary last week confirmed that increasing the grant would set the government back millions more each year. When asked by Sinn Fein Deputy Louise O'Reilly what the full-year cost of increasing the grant to €2,250 and €2,500 would be, Calleary said it could amount to as much as €76.8m. He explained: "The current Carer's Support Grant rate is €2,000 per year, following an increase of €150 announced in Budget 2025, payable in June 2025. "The estimated annual cost of increasing the Carer's Support Grant to €2,250 per year is €38.4 million. "The estimated annual cost of increasing the Carer's Support Grant to €2,500 per year is €76.8 million. "These costings are based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2025, and are subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients." 'IMPROVEMENTS' FOR CARERS Calleary also last week told how there have been "significant improvements" made in the supports available to carers recently. Responding to Independent TD Barry Heneghan, Calleary said the government is "fully committed" to supporting carers. He added: "The main income supports for carers provided by my department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. "Spending on these payments in 2025 is expected to exceed €1.9 billion." Carer's Allowance is the main income support scheme for carers in the community, with 101,426 recipients at the end of April. And Calleary said the Programme for Government commits to "significantly increasing" the income disregards for Carer's Allowance in each Budget, with a view of He added: "There have been a number of significant improvements made in the last number of years to the means test for Carer's Allowance. "From 3 July, the weekly income disregards will increase further. "For single carers this will increase from €450 to €625. For carers with a spouse or partner, this will increase from €900 to €1,250. "This will make the scheme more accessible to people who previously did not qualify. "As a result, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €69,000 will retain the maximum payment. The same carer with an income of €97,000 will retain a partial payment." 1 The payment will land into thousands of accounts tomorrow Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
New €280 once-off grant rules for Irish parents confirmed as cut-off age & €140 Child Benefit eligibility outlined
THE age-limit rules surrounding a €280 once-off grant that could hit the pockets of thousands of Irish parents has been outlined. The payment, which is paid out in a lump sum, aims to assist new parents with costs associated with new The Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has confirmed the cut-off age, and outlined exactly who can benefit from this payment. He explained that the payment can be issued to anyone who has welcomed a new baby or child born or adopted on or after December 1, 2024 The payment is issued to parent as long as they have become qualified for the scheme no later than one month after the birth of the child. READ MORE IN MONEY In the case of adoptive parents, this will be one month after the day of placement for the child. Responding to a question from Sinn Fein TD Louise O'Reilly on whether there is a cut-off age whereby adopted children are deemed ineligible for the payment, Calleary confirmed the child must be adopted on or after December 1 2024 to qualify. Speaking about the new payment last week, the Minister said: "I am delighted that as part of Budget 2025 a new baby grant of €280 was introduced. "This new payment will assist parents and adoptive parents with the costs associated with new babies and newly adopted children. MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN "It will provide additional financial support to a family to ensure adequate resources and that the material needs of a child are met. Little known social welfare benefits thousands are entitled to "The New Baby Grant is a once-off payment paid to the qualified person, provided that person did not become so qualified on a date later than one month after the birth of the child, or, in the case of adoption, one month after the day of placement of the qualified child, as long as the date of birth or the date of placement of that qualified child falls on or after 1 December 2024." He added that to be eligible for the payment, the child must meet the age eligibility criteria of the He said: "To be eligible for the newborn baby grant the adopted child must, at the date of placement, meet the age eligibility criteria of the Child Benefit payment; i.e. the child must be under 16, or under 19 if in full-time education, full-time training or has a disability and cannot support themselves." €420 BOOST The grant is worth €280 per child, but is paid out alongside the €140 Child Benefit payment, meaning parents can receive as much as €420 for one child. In the month after the birth of their child, qualifying €420 for a single birth €980 in the case of twins €1,680 in the case of triplets Some 4,400 families received the In a full year it is expected that To avail of the New Baby Grant, you must be eligible for WHO GETS CHILD BENEFIT? Child Benefit is a universal Child Benefit is paid on the first Tuesday of every month, meaning parents eligible for the newborn baby grant will receive the payment on the first Tuesday the month after the child is born. The Department of Social Protection HOW DO I GET CHILD BENEFIT? THOSE getting Child Benefit must be living in Ireland and meet the Habitual Residence Condition. The child you are getting the payment for must be under 16, or under 19 if in full-time education, full-time training or has a disability and cannot support themselves. The payment will begin coming through as soon as your newborn is registered and issued with a PPS number. If it is your first child, the Child Benefit Section of the DSP will send you a partly completed Child Benefit form CB1. The form will include information on how you can claim for your new baby online and you can only claim online if you are invited to do so by the DSP. If you have children already getting the benefit, any newborns will be added once they are registered with the state. However, if you are the child's father or stepfather, you can get the payment if the child does not live with their mother or step-mother. If you are caring for a child who is not living with their parents, or not being maintained by their parents, you may get Child Benefit. If your child lives between two separate households, for example, if the If the child lives an equal amount of time with each parent, the mother gets Child Benefit. 1 Thousands of parents have benefited from the scheme Credit: Getty Images - Getty
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Rejected social welfare applications for €244 cash DOUBLE amid ‘broken system' fear & new survey for thousands of Irish
THE number of applications for a €244 social welfare payment that have been rejected has doubled over the past five years. The amount of people applying for the assistance has increased by over 40 per cent since 2020 - but approvals have not kept pace, rising just 19 per cent in the same time period. Advertisement 1 The number of rejected applications for Disability Allowance has doubled since 2020 Credit: Getty Images New figures on Disability Allowance applications reveal rising demand. And Sinn Fein's spokesperson on Social Protection, said "too many" people are being turned down at first assessment and being forced go through a weeks-long appeal process to access payments they are entitled to. Louise O'Reilly said: "Last year, over 9,000 people had to appeal a rejection. More than a third of those appeals were then granted. "This is the sign of a broken system, one third of people with disabilities whose applications have been rejected are being forced go through this appeals process to access the payments they are entitled to. Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY "Too many people are being turned down at first assessment and have their application granted on appeal. "This is a burden on the most vulnerable of our society. "It leaves people without any income, reliant on emergency funds if they can access them for up to six weeks while they prepare paperwork to launch an appeal and wait for a final decision." O'Reilly said that the appeals process is "incredibly anxiety-inducing" for the people in need of the assistance and can "force people into poverty and debt" Advertisement MOST READ ON THE IRISH SUN Exclusive Disability Allowance is a weekly means-tested payment for people with a disability that are aged 16 and over. Major warning over emergency social welfare scam texts as thousands could be targeted The maximum personal rate of the payment currently sits at €244. An increase for an adult dependant €162 while an increase for a child who is under 12 years of age is €50 at full-rate and €25 for half-rate. The payment increases for a child is 12 years of age or under by €62 at full rate and €31 half rate. Advertisement Sinn Fein's O'Reilly had launched a national survey in response to the "concerning statistics" surrounding the number of applications being denied. DISABILITY ALLOWANCE ELIGIBILITY THERE is a number of criteria that must be met to qualify for Disability Allowance. Those eligible must: Have an injury, disease, or physical or mental disability that has continued for at least one year, or is expected to continue for at least one year Be substantially restricted from doing work because of their disability, that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications Be aged between 16 and 66 Pass a means test - an assessment of any income you have Live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition A doctor must also complete a report - which will be reviewed by a DSP medical assessor - on the applicants medical condition. The medical report will allow the DSP to determine if the person Have an injury, disease, or physical or mental disability that has continued for at least one year, or is expected to continue for at least one year, and Are substantially restricted from doing work because of their disability, that would be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications. A spokesperson said: "Deputy O'Reilly has launched a national survey to gather the experiences of people applying for any and all social welfare income payments. "The survey focuses on waiting times, appeal durations, and the human impact of navigating a broken system. 'This survey will give a voice to the people behind the statistics. Advertisement "We want to hear directly from those who've been forced to wait, forced to appeal, or forced to give up." The survey, which can be filled out by anyone in Ireland who has applied for social welfare assistance, can be
