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Benefits and entitlements for carers of children with a disability

As a parent or carer of a child with a disability, you may be able to claim benefits or financial support. This is to help you with the cost of their care.

Benefits and entitlements you may be eligible for include:

  • Social Welfare benefits
  • Tax credits
  • Housing grants to adapt your home
  • Transport and mobility

Your eligibility may depend on your circumstances, such as:

  • the needs of the person you care for
  • your income
  • where you live

HSE schemes

Long-Term Illness Scheme

The scheme provides free drugs, medicine and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of some conditions. It is not means tested, so eligibility doesn’t depend on your income or on any other circumstances.

Long-term Illness Scheme

Medical card for those in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance

If you already claim domiciliary care allowance, your child is automatically eligible for a medical card without a means test.

A medical card allows you to get free medicine and doctor's appointments for your child.

Medical card for Domiciliary Care Allowance

Carer's GP visit card

If you get Carer’s Benefit or Carer’s Allowance, at full or half-rate, you can visit your GP for free.

Register for a carer's GP visit card

Social Welfare benefits

Domiciliary Care Allowance

This is a monthly payment made to the carer of a child under 16 with a severe disability who lives at home.

Find out more about the Domiciliary Care Allowance - citizensinformation.ie

Carer's Benefit

A payment for people who leave their job to care for someone in need of full-time care.

Learn more about Carer's Benefit - citizensinformation.ie

Carer’s Allowance

A payment to people on a low income who’s looking after someone who needs support because of their disability.

You may qualify for Carer’s Benefit instead of Carer’s Allowance if you leave your job to care for your child. 

Learn more about Carer's Allowance - citizensinformation.ie

Download an application form for Carer's Allowance - gov.ie

This application form is also available from your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare office.

Find your nearest Social Welfare office - gov.ie

Disability Allowance

This is a means-tested weekly allowance paid to people with a disability aged 16 and older.

Find out more about Disability Allowance - gov.ie

Download an application form for Disability Allowance - gov.ie

This application form is also available from your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare office.

Find your nearest Social Welfare office - gov.ie

Carer's Support Grant

An annual payment automatically made to people who receive carer's allowance, carer's benefit or domiciliary care allowance.

Find out more about Carer's Support Grant - citizensinformation.ie

Tax credits

Incapacitated Child Tax Credit

If you have a child who is permanently incapacitated, either physically or mentally and unable to support themselves, you may be able to claim this tax credit.

Find out more about the Incapacitated Child Tax Credit - revenue.ie

Housing

Housing Adaptation Grant for people with a disability

This grant allows you to make changes to your home so that it’s suitable for a person with a disability to live in.

Find out more about the Housing Adaptation Grant - citizensinformation.ie

Fully Funded Energy Upgrades

Funding to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of your home.

This scheme is available to families who:

  • own their home
  • receive Domiciliary Care Allowance

Find out more about the Fully Funded Energy Upgrades - seai.ie

Transport and mobility

Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme

A range of tax reliefs to help you to buy or use a specially built or adapted vehicle for drivers and passengers with a disability.

Find out more about the Disabled Drivers and Passengers Scheme - revenue.ie

Translated information about entitlements and benefits

Find useful information about entitlements and benefits on the Informing Families website, translated into:

Page last reviewed: 8 September 2022
Next review due: 8 September 2025