Benefits and Allowances

An Additional Needs Payment is a payment available to you if you have essential expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income.

You may get this payment from the Department of Social Protection even if you are not getting a social welfare payment. It may be available to you if you are working and on a low income regardless of the number of hours that you work.

The Additional Needs Payment does not cover non-essential household or personal expenses, or costs that are the responsibility of another government department or agency.

Additional Needs Payments are paid under Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is administered by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the department.

There is no set 'rate of payment' for the Additional Needs Payment. The payment you get will depend on your weekly household income and the type of assistance you need.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4eb45-additional-needs-payment/

The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a means-tested once-off payment. It helps families with the extra costs of clothing and footwear when children start school each autumn. The scheme is open from 1 June to 30 September each year.

To qualify, you must meet the following conditions:

• you must be getting a qualifying social protection payment, or participating in an approved employment, education or training support scheme
• you must be getting Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) for each child you are claiming this allowance for (except in certain circumstances)
• each child being claimed for must be: aged between 4 and 17 or aged between 18 and 22, and returning to second-level education in the autumn
• the assessable income for your household must be within a set income limit
• you and each child you are claiming this allowance for must be resident in the State.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/back-to-school-clothing-and-footwear-allowance/

Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested payment. It is for people on low incomes who are caring full-time for someone who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention.

You may qualify for Carer’s Allowance if:

• you are 18 or over

• you live with or are able to provide full-time care and attention to a person who needs care

• you are not working, self-employed, or on a training or education course for more than 18.5 hours a week.

• you live with or are able to provide full-time care and attention to a person who needs care and who does not normally live in an institution.

The person you are caring for must be:

• over the age of 16 and need full-time care and attention

• or aged under 16 and getting a Domiciliary Care Allowance.

If you are getting certain social welfare payments and providing full-time care and attention to another person whilst also meeting all other conditions for Carer’s Allowance, you can keep your main social welfare payment and get half-rate Carer's Allowance as well.

If you are getting Carer’s Allowance and you also meet the qualifying conditions for another social welfare payment (for example, a State Pension or Illness Benefit) you may apply for the other payment. If awarded, and provided the other payment is a qualifying payment for half-rate Carer’s allowance, you will be paid the other payment in full and also get half your rate of Carer’s Allowance.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/carers-allowance/

Carer's Benefit is paid to people who leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person in need of full-time care. Since January 2025, Carer's Benefit has been extended to people who are self-employed. 

You must be at least 16 years old and have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. You can get Carer's Benefit for 2 years (104 weeks) for each person that you are caring for.

You can take the 104 weeks all together or any number of separate weeks up to a total of 104 weeks. However, if you claim Carer's Benefit for less than 6 weeks in a row, you must wait another 6 weeks before you can get Carer's Benefit for the same person again.

If you are caring for more than one person, you can get a payment for 104 weeks for each person. If the care periods occur at the same time, you will get an increase in your Carer’s Benefit for caring for more than one person.

If you get Carer’s Benefit, you can also get a GP visit card.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/carers-benefit/

If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you are eligible for a Carer’s GP Visit Card.

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/gp-visit-cards/carers/

Carer’s leave allows employees to leave work temporarily to provide full-time care and attention for someone who needs it.

You can take carer’s leave for a minimum of 13 weeks and up to a maximum of 104 weeks. If you ask to take less than 13 weeks’ carer’s leave, your employer can refuse your request. 

Carer’s leave from employment is unpaid but your job will be kept open until your return.

If you have enough PRSI contributions, you may qualify for Carer's Benefit. If you cannot get Carer’s Benefit, you may qualify for Carer's Allowance which is a means-tested payment. You can take carer's leave even if you do not qualify for these payments.

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment-rights-and-conditions/leave-and-holidays/carers-leave/

The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers who get Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA). You do not need to apply for it, you are automatically enrolled for this payment, which is made on the first Thursday of June each year. It is a payment for each child that you are a nominated Carer of, and is fully exempt from income tax, PRSI and USC.

Following Budget 2025 measures, the rate of payment is €2,000 from June 2025.

If you are not getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA), you may still qualify for it if:

• you care for the person full-time

• you have been caring for the person for at least six months, and this period includes the first Thursday in June

• you live with the person you are caring for or you are contactable quickly by a direct system of communication such as a telephone or an alarm.

You do not qualify for the Carer's Support Grant if you are:

• working, self-employed, or on a training or education course for more than 18.5 hours a week (you must show that the person you are caring for has adequate care while you are working, on an education course, or both).

• getting Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit

• signing on for credited contributions.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/16220307-carers-support-grant/

This is a monthly payment of €140 paid for each child who:

• normally lives with you and is being fully supported by you

• is under 16, or under 19 if in full-time education, full-time training or has a disability and cannot support themselves.

This payment is not means-tested.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/f14140-child-benefit/#how-to-qualify

Your social welfare payment is made up of a weekly amount for yourself, called the personal rate. You may also get an extra amount for your child now called a Child Support Payment. This payment was previously called the Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC), but was renamed in the October 2024 Budget. 

You may also get the Child Support Payment if you are getting certain payments and if your child meets certain conditions (is resident in the State; not in legal custody; lives with you; and satisfies the age requirement for the payment). In certain circumstances you may only get a half-rate Child Support Payment.

You do not get a Child Support Payment if your child is getting a social welfare payment or Supplementary Welfare Allowance in their own right, except for Disablement Benefit.

Your child does not have to be financially dependent on you. Your child can work and earn money and this does not affect the increase paid to you.

A Child Support Payment can be paid on behalf of foster children.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/child-support-payment-previously-known-as-increase-for-a-qualified-child/

Citizens Information provides comprehensive information on the entitlements of citizens in Ireland. The website gathers information from various government departments and agencies, and presents it in an easy-to-understand way.

Citizens Information has produced this Checklist for Carers, listing the main services and entitlements available to them.

You can find your local centre here.

You can drop into your local centre or contact it by phone and email for information, advice and advocacy. Make sure you check your local service's opening hours if you are dropping in. Appointments are offered as needed following an initial assessment. You can also call the Citizens Information Phone Service on 0818 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm.

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie

You can contact the Community Welfare Services about the following payments:

• Additional Needs Payment
• Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
• Supplementary Welfare Allowance Supplements
• Rent Supplement.

Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) are available in 51 Intreo Centres across the country to meet and assist customers during business hours, five days per week.

They can facilitate in-person and emergency meetings:

• through the phone
• in any Intreo Centre/Branch Office or
• if the need arises, a direct home visit appointment can be arranged

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/12110-how-to-access-community-welfare-services/

If it is anticipated that your child may be delayed with toilet training or not toilet trained by their 3rd birthday, you can contact your Public Health Nurse (PHN) located in your local health/primary care centre. They will carry out an assessment. If your child is assessed as being unable to toilet train by their 4th birthday or within six months of assessment (whichever is later), they will be assessed for the appropriate containment product to use (either washable or disposable)*. 

*In small number of cases, with complex care needs, the child will be treated on an individual basis as per clinical judgement.

Further Information: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/2/primarycare/community-funded-schemes/continence/public/continence-care-for-children-and-young-people.html

Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability. You can get it from 16 years of age. If you are in education when you turn 16, you can continue to attend school while receiving this allowance.

To qualify for Disability Allowance, you 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 your disability, that would be suitable for a person of your 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.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df6811-disability-allowance/

The scheme gives a range of tax reliefs linked to the purchase and use of specially constructed or adapted vehicles by drivers and passengers with a disability. There are strict medical criteria, outlined in the further information link below.

If you qualify, you can claim:

• Remission or repayment of vehicle registration tax (VRT)
• Repayment of value-added tax (VAT) on the purchase of a vehicle
• Repayment of VAT on the cost of adapting a vehicle.

If you qualify for the scheme, you may get some additional exemptions and benefits including:

• An exemption from motor tax on the vehicle.
• An exemption from toll road fees (see www.dtes.ie)
• The fuel grant

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel-and-recreation/transport-and-disability/tax-relief-for-disabled-drivers-and-disabled-passengers/

The Disabled Person's Parking Card or Permit allows you to park in disabled parking spaces in Ireland and the EU if you are a person with severe restricted mobility or are certified as blind. The permit is available if you are a driver or passenger of a vehicle. It is valid for 2 years from the issue date.

The scheme is run in Ireland by the Disabled Drivers Association of Ireland (DDAI) and the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA). It costs €35 to apply and you can apply online to the IWA or the DDAI. They will ask you some questions to check if you qualify and then send you an application form by email or post. You can contact the Disabled Drivers Association by emailing: parkingcard@ddai.ie

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel-and-recreation/traffic-and-parking/disabled-persons-parking-card/

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for a child with a severe disability. The payment is not based on the type of disability. It is based on the impact of the disability.

To qualify:

• your child must be under 16
• the mental or physical disability must be severe
• the disability must be likely to last for at least one year
• your child must need ongoing care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age
• your child must be resident in the Irish State
• your child must live at home with the person claiming the allowance for five or more days a week.

Note: If your child is in full-time residential care, you are not eligible. If your child is in residential care but is at home for two days or more a week, you may get a half-rate payment. For example, you may qualify if your child attends residential services from Monday to Friday and goes home at weekends.

In addition, the person claiming the allowance for the child must:

• provide for the care of the child
• habitually live in the State

If you are applying for the DCA online through MyWelfare.ie, you should first ask your child’s GP or specialist to complete a DCA Medical Form (DCAMed1).  Once this is completed, you can upload it with the online application.

If your child has been diagnosed with Autism or another pervasive developmental disorder, you are advised to have the medical professional/specialist/ early intervention team dealing with your child to complete an additional medical form (Dom Care 3). You do not have to include Dom Care 3, but it can provide more details of your child’s condition and their specific care needs.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/30fac9-domiciliary-care-allowance/

You can apply for a Drugs Payment Scheme card if you or your family pay more than €80 a month for:

• approved prescribed drugs and medicines
• rental costs for a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine
• rental costs for oxygen

If you have a medical card, you do not need a DPS card.

If you have a DPS card and you paid more than €80 in a calendar month, you may be entitled to a refund.

See here to apply for a Drugs Payment Scheme Card. 

See here for further information on applying for refunds through the Drugs Payment Scheme. 

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/drugs-payment-scheme/

You can claim a tax allowance at your top rate when you employ a carer for a person with a disability. You may employ the carer directly or through an agency. This relief may be claimed by a family member or divided among a number of family members if they are contributing towards the cost of the carer.

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/health-and-age/employing-a-carer/index.aspx

The Free Travel Scheme allows you to travel, free of charge, on all public transport owned by the State. This includes bus, rail, Local Link and the Luas, with some exceptions.

You will get a Free Travel Card automatically when you are awarded an Invalidity Pension, a Blind Pension, Disability Allowance or Carer's Allowance.

If you have a Free Travel Card but are unable to travel alone due to a medical condition, you can apply for a Free Travel Companion Card using the:

• FT O/70 application form if you are 70 or over
• FT U/70 application form if you are under 70

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/9bba61-free-travel-scheme/

Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. The current season runs from 23rd September 2024 until 4th April 2025. The current rate of payment is €33 every week. You can get it if you are aged 70 or over. You may also qualify if you are getting long-term social welfare payments, such as Carer's Allowance, Disability Allowance or One-Parent Family Payment.  Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to each household. 

You should apply before the start of the Fuel Allowance season (late September). If you apply after this, the allowance cannot be backdated. You do not need to reapply for Fuel Allowance each year as long as your circumstances have not changed and you continue to get the same social welfare payment. If your circumstances change you should contact the department as soon as possible to make sure you can still get Fuel Allowance.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/services/fuel-allowance/

This was formerly known as the Warmer Homes Scheme. It is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). It is available to people who receive certain welfare payments.

The Scheme provides funding for:

• Attic insulation
• Cavity wall insulation
• External wall insulation
• Internal wall insulation
• Secondary work such as lagging jackets, draught proofing and energy efficient lighting
• New heating systems and windows are occasionally recommended.

To qualify, you must:

• You must own your home and be living in it
• Your home must have been built and occupied before 2006
• You must be getting one of the following payments:
  • Fuel Allowance as part of the National Fuel Scheme
  • Working Family Payment
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance for over 6 months and have a child aged under 7 years
  • Domiciliary Care Allowance
  • One Parent Family Payment
  • Carer's Allowance and live with the person you care for.

Further Information: https://www.seai.ie/grants/home-energy-grants/fully-funded-upgrades-for-eligible-homes/

A GP visit card is a card that gives you free visits to a participating family doctor (GP). If you are not eligible for a medical card, you may be eligible for a GP visit card.

You can apply for a GP visit card online.

Your GP visit card covers the cost of visits to your GP and visits to GP out-of-hours services. You can read more about what services are available with the medical card and GP visit card. The GP visit card does not cover hospital charges.

Prescribed drugs are not free but may be covered by the Drugs Payment Scheme.

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/gp-visit-cards/gp-visit-cards/

You can reclaim some of the medical expenses you and your family incur on medical bills. You can only claim for medical expenses if you have receipts to prove your claim. All receipts must be kept for 6 years.

You can claim relief on additional expenses in the case of a child with a life-threatening illness or permanent disability, as follows:

• Telephone: if a child is treated at home, you may claim a flat rate for telephone rental and calls where the expenses are directly connected with the treatment of the child.
• Travel: you can claim tax relief on the costs of excessive travelling to and from the hospital. In particular, if you need to travel outside of your county for treatment.
• Overnight accommodation: you can claim for payments made for overnight stays in a hospital, hotel or B&B near the hospital where your child is a patient.
• Hygiene products and special clothing: you can claim relief on hygiene products or special clothing if these are necessary for the child's disability. You can claim up to a maximum of €500 for these items.

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/health-and-age/health-expenses/index.aspx

You can claim the Home Carer Tax Credit if you are married, or in a civil partnership, and you care for one, or more, dependent persons. You can only claim one credit, regardless of the number of people you care for. You cannot claim this credit if the dependent person is your spouse or civil partner.

The dependent person you care for must be either:

• a child for whom you receive the Child Benefit
• a person who is permanently incapacitated due to mental or physical disability.

If you earn less than €7,200, then you can claim the full tax credit available. The amount you earn does not include Carer's Allowance. If you earn more than €7,200, you will receive a reduced tax credit. In this case, the total tax credits available will be reduced by one half of the difference between your income and €7,200.

If your income is €11,100 or more during 2024, you cannot claim the tax credit.

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/health-and-age/home-carer-credit/index.aspx

The Department of Education provide home tutition for children with special educational needs and medical grounds. This scheme is for:

• children who are unable to attend school for reasons such as chronic illness
• children with special educational needs who are seeking an educational placement
• early educational intervention for children with autism

See the Home Tuition Grant Scheme 2025/2026 Special Education Component for information on this scheme and details of eligibility criteria.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d15f58-home-tuition/

The Homemaker’s Scheme makes it easier for a homemaker to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension Contributory when you reach pension age.

A homemaker, under the Homemaker’s Scheme, is someone who provides full-time care for either:

• a child under 12
• an ill or disabled person aged 12 or over.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/e216c5-homemakers-scheme/

The Household Benefits Package (HBP) helps towards the costs of your electricity or gas bills. It also includes your television licence. Only one HBP is payable per household.

You may qualify if you are under 66 and get Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension or Carer's Allowance (if you are living with the person you are caring for).

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/e87d27-household-benefits-package/

A Housing Adaptation Grant provides grant aid to help with works that are reasonably necessary to make a house more suitable for the needs of a person with a disability. This grant is means-tested and is administered by your local authority. The maximum grant under the scheme is €40,000 (as of 1 December 2024), which may cover up to 100% of the approved cost of works.

The types of works allowable under the scheme can be varied and may include:

• a ramp or other ways to access your home
• bathroom facilities such as an accessible shower or a downstairs toilet
• a stair lift or through floor lift
• fixed track hoists (excluding any servicing, maintenance and training costs)
• space for wheelchair access
• an extension (typically for a bedroom or bathroom to accommodate a person with a disability)

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/3f186-housing-adaptation-grant-for-people-with-a-disability/

A credit can be claimed by a parent in respect of a child who has additional needs. Additional tax credits are available for parents with two or more children with additional needs.

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/personal-tax-credits-reliefs-and-exemptions/children/incapacitated-child-credit/index.aspx

The Local Property Tax is a tax based on the market value of your home. An exemption or reduction can apply to a residential property bought or adapted for use by a disabled individual. Additional criteria will apply. You must still make a return and then claim this exemption. 

The requirement to be able to earn an income from working is not required for children under the age of 16. Such children are treated as permanently and totally incapacitated where they receive a Domiciliary Care Allowance.

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/property/local-property-tax/lpt-exemptions/incapacitated-persons.aspx

If you (or your child) have certain long-term illnesses or disabilities, you (or your child) may apply to join the Long Term Illness Scheme. You can get some drugs, medicines and medical appliances for free. If your application is successful, you will get a Long-Term Illness Scheme card. This card replaces the Long-Term Illness Scheme green book. 

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/lti/about/

A medical card issued by the HSE allows you to receive certain health services free of charge. They are means-tested and/or based on medical need. You can apply online, or send in your application by email or post. 

To qualify, your weekly income must be below a certain figure for your family size. Cash income, savings, investments and property (except for your own home) are taken into account. Reasonable expenses incurred in respect of childcare costs, travel to work and rent/mortgage payments will also be deducted.

Children in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) will automatically be entitled to the medical card. This is the form you fill out to apply for the medical card if you are receiving the DCA. 

If you do not qualify for a medical card, you may be eligible for a discretionary medical card. This will be assessed on your child’s disability and not your family income.

See here for details on prescription charges also. 

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/medical-cards/

The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme helps you pay for basic work to address mobility issues you are having at home. For example, if you are having difficulty getting into the bath or shower, the grant could cover the cost of installing an accessible shower. The scheme is for older people and people with disabilities.

The Mobility Aids Grant Scheme is available to people with a household income of less than €37,500 a year. See the link under Further information for the details on types of income and social welfare payments not taken into account when calculating your household income. 

The grant can be used to make basic changes to your home so it is more accessible, like adding:

• Grab rails
• An accessible shower
• Ramps
• A stair-lift
• A fixed track hoist. 

The grant does not cover VAT on the work. However, you can apply to Revenue for a VAT refund for any appliances that you need and the cost of installing them.

The maximum grant you can get is €8,000 (as of 1 December 2024), which may cover 100% of the cost of the works. However, you may not get the maximum grant. This is because the grant is paid by your local authority, and is dependent on what funding they have available. They will decide whether they can pay you the full grant, or a percentage of the grant.

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/housing-grants-and-schemes/mobility-aids-grant-scheme/

One-Parent Family Payment is a payment for parents under 66 who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under 7.

You will stop getting One-Parent Family Payment when your youngest child turns 7.

There are exceptions to this which include:

• Domiciliary Care Allowance: your One-Parent Family Payment may continue until the child you are getting the Domiciliary Care Allowance for turns 16 or your youngest child turns 7, whichever is later
• Carer's Allowance: your One-Parent Family Payment may continue until your youngest child turns 16 or until your Carer’s Allowance stops, whichever is earlier
• Recent Bereavement: if your spouse or civil partner has died, you can claim One-Parent Family Payment for up to two years after the date of death or until your youngest child turns 18, whichever is earlier.

To qualify for One-Parent Family Payment, you must:

• be under 66
• be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a relevant child (this means a child under the relevant age limit)
• be the main carer of at least one relevant child. The child must live with you. You cannot get One-Parent Family Payment if you have joint equal custody of a child or children
• satisfy a means test
• not be living with a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant

If you are separated, divorced or your civil partnership is dissolved, you must be living apart for at least three months before you apply for One-Parent Family Payment.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/d0b018-one-parent-family-payment/

Rent Supplement is a payment for some people living in private rented housing who cannot provide for the cost of their housing from their own income.

It is a short-term income support for people in the private rented sector.

In the past, you could apply for Rent Supplement if you qualified for social housing support and were on the local authority’s housing list. People in this situation should now apply for the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP).

You are only eligible for Rent Supplement if you are a genuine (bona fide) tenant and meet one of the following conditions:

• You were getting Rent Supplement in the 12 months before the date of your application.
• You were living in private rented accommodation for at least six months (183 days) of the last 12 months, you could afford the rent at the beginning of your tenancy and you are unable to continue to pay the rent because of a substantial change in your circumstances which occurred after you started renting. You can combine time living in more than one rented accommodation to satisfy the six months (183 days).

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/fb3b13-rent-supplement/

Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) supplements are paid weekly or monthly to help meet ongoing necessary costs which you cannot meet out of your weekly income.

These payments are made at the discretion of the Community Welfare Service officer who considers your circumstances, your needs and your resources.

Examples of payments include:

• A heat supplement if you have exceptional essential heating costs due to your age, medical condition or disability
• A travel supplement if you have a recurring travel expense, for example, if you have ongoing travel costs for hospital visits
• Rent supplement if you are living in private rented accommodation but can no longer provide for the cost of your accommodation
• A diet supplement to help with the cost of a special diet prescribed by your doctor or hospital consultant. (This closed for new applicants in 2014.)

Further Information: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/supplementary-welfare-schemes/supplementary-welfare-allowance-supplements/

All children under 8 years of age living in Ireland can get a GP visit card, which covers:

• free GP visits
• assessments at age 2 and 5
• out-of-hours urgent GP care
• care for children with asthma.

Medication costs and hospital charges are not covered.

Further Information: https://www2.hse.ie/services/schemes-allowances/gp-visit-cards/under-8s/#:~:text=You%20do%20not%20need%20to%20register%20for%20a,have%20free%20GP%20care%20until%20they%20are%208.

You may claim a refund on VAT for certain aids and appliances used by your child to help with independent living. The rule is that it must be specifically for your child and assist them in some way.

Examples of eligible aids and appliances include:

• Domestic aids, for example, eating and drinking aids
• Walk-in baths
• Commode chairs
• Lifting seats and specified chairs
• Braille books
• Hoists and lifts, including stair lifts
• Communication aids

Further Information: https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/repayments-to-unregistered-persons/disabled-persons/reclaim-vat-aids-appliances.aspx

Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children. It supports people who are on low pay. WFP used to be called Family Income Supplement (FIS).

To qualify for Working Family Payment, you must meet all of these requirements:

• you work in the Irish State and pay tax and social insurance (PRSI) here
• you work 38 or more hours every fortnight
• you can combine hours from different jobs to make up 38 hours each fortnight
• you can also combine your weekly hours with the hours worked by your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant
• you cannot use time spent in self-employment or on Community Employment, Gateway, TÚS, JobBridge or the Rural Social Scheme
• your job is likely to last at least 3 months
• you have at least one child who normally lives with you. Your child must be under 18 years of age or between 18 and 22 years of age and in full-time education.
• you earn less than an amount set according to your family size.

You will be reassessed once a year. Your payment will not change for a year (52 weeks) even if your income goes up or down. However you can ask for your payment to be reassessed if one of the following applies to you:

• you start to care for an additional child
• your One-Parent Family Payment stops.

See the Citizens Information page on the Working Family Payment for more detail on changes that can affect your eligibility for this payment. 

Working Family Payment is included when you are assessed for these entitlements:

• rent or mortgage supplement
• local authority housing.

Further Information: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/08bb21-working-family-payment/