How to get financial help as a carer
As a carer, life can sometimes be challenging both emotionally and financially. It can be difficult to balance your care commitments with your work commitments and at times your responsibility as a carer can take precedence. According to the Central Statistics Office in Ireland, between 2016 and 2022, the number of people providing regular unpaid care increased by over 50 per cent, from 195,263 people in 2016 to 299,128 in 2022. The financial challenges can, at times, feel overwhelming but there are ways you can get some help. Read on to find out what carer support is available to unpaid carers in the UK and Scotland.
The financial challenges of caregiving
The financial cost of being a carer is a very real consideration. The charity Family Carers states that 1 in every 8 adults in Ireland identify as carers. Of that 1 in 8, 68% say they experience financial distress and 13% are in arrears with their rent or mortgage. Almost a quarter of carers have had to make cuts to their food intake or heating their home in order to make ends meet.
Just under half of the carers in Ireland are living in households with an overall income of €30,000. The combination of a lack of access to services and the need to keep a roof over their heads can mean that carers have no time for themselves. 69% of carers said they experienced difficulty accessing respite.
Financial support offered by the government
For those who identify as unpaid carers, there is support available from the Irish government. From a carer’s allowance to support grants, there are a number of ways you can get a helping hand.
Carer’s Allowance
The Carer’s Allowance exists to provide financial support to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support. This covers people who need support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). The maximum weekly rate of the carer’s allowance is €236.
In order to be eligible for the allowance you must meet a number of requirements, which include being 18 or over, you live in Ireland, you aren’t working or self employed and 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. For the full list of requirements visit the government website.
Carer’s Support Grant
Alongside the Carer’s Allowance, you may be eligible for the The Carer’s Support Grant. 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 are free to spend the grant on whatever you want.
The Carer’s Support Grant is €1,850 for each person you are caring for. It is paid once each year, usually on the first Thursday in June.
Find out more here.
Carer’s Benefit
The Carer’s Benefit is a payment available to insured people who may need to leave work or reduce their hours to care for a dependent.
The benefit can be paid for 2 years (104 weeks) and can be claimed for each person you are caring for.
Find out more on the government’s website.
Domiciliary Care Allowance
The Domiciliary Care Allowance is only available to children with severe disabilities. The payment is not based on the disability but the impact the disability has.
There are few requirements that you must meet to be entitled to the allowance. These include the child being over 16, the disability must be severe, and they must need substantially more ongoing care and attention than another child of the same age.
For more information visit the gov.ie service page.
Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
The Incapacitated Child Tax Credit is support that is available to parents or the guardian of a child who is either permanently incapacitated or a child where there is reasonable expectation that the child will be unable to support themselves financially past the age of 18.
If a parent or guardian has one or more children who are permanently incapacitated, you may claim a credit for each child.
Other ways to get financial support as a carer
If you don’t qualify for government support there are a number of other ways to get support as a carer. From charities that offer financial and emotional assistance to crowdfunding to get support from your friends and family, you aren’t alone when it comes to caring for your loved one.
Support from charities
A lot of charities offer a range of support to carers in Ireland. Family Carers offer different tiers of support for carers in Ireland. The charity offers support and advice over the phone, and advocates for carers at local, regional and national level. Carers can also find support through the charity’s programmes of support for groups of carers including young carers, isolated carers, carers for children with special needs, carers of adults with intellectual disability and carers of persons with mental health difficulties.
Care Alliance Ireland works with various organisations to provide support to carers across Ireland. The charity delivers a number of specific projects to provide support, including Online Family Carer Support Project which offers peer-to-peer support to family carers all around the country and a Back to paid employment project which aims to support family carers with their transitions back to paid employment.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding can be an incredibly useful way to raise funds when you need a little bit of extra support. You can start a fundraiser on GoFundMe and start raising funds within a matter or minutes. Share your fundraiser with your friends and family to enable others to help you. It can be hard to ask for help so read our crowdfunding tips for some guidance on the best way to start your crowdfunding journey.
How fundraising can help cover the cost of being a carer
Fundraising can be a great way to cover the cost of being a carer. From traditional fundraising techniques such as putting on a games night to online crowdfunding, you may be surprised how willing people are to help.
One person who used crowdfunding to cover the cost of care is Darren and his family who care for him. Darren was diagnosed with MND just after he became grandfather. He was forced to give up work and to rely more and more on his family for support. He turned to crowdfunding to ask his network for financial support and raised £18,000 in total.
Crowdfunding doesn’t have to be solely for personal reasons, you can also fundraise for a charity that is close to your heart. One boy who did just that was Jack Donovan. Jack is disabled and relies on a walker to get around. He raised more than €7,000 for charities Family Carers Ireland and Central Remedial Clinic by walking 2 km using his walker.
Feeling inspired? Start fundraising today