Information
The Respite Care Grant is an annual payment made to carers by the Department
of Social Protection. Carers can use the grant in whatever way they wish. You
can use the grant to pay for respite care if you wish, but you do not have to
do so. More information about respite
care facilities is available.
In June of each year, the Department of Social Protection pays the grant
automatically to carers getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Prescribed Relative's Allowance
or Domiciliary
Care Allowance from the Department. Only one Respite Care Grant can be paid
for each person getting care.
Rules
The grant is paid to people getting one of the payments mentioned above. It
can also be paid to certain other carers providing full-time care. If you are
not getting one of the above payments, you must be:
- Aged 16 or over
- Ordinarily resident in the State
- Caring for the person on a full-time basis
- Caring for the person for at least six months - this period must include
the first Thursday in June
- Living with the person being cared for or, if not, be contactable quickly
by a direct system of communication (for example, telephone or alarm).
You do not qualify if you are working more than 15 hours per week outside
the home, if you are getting an unemployment payment or if you are signing on
for unemployment credits. You also do not qualify if you are living in a
hospital, convalescent home or similar institution.
If you are caring for more than one person, a grant is paid for
each of them.
Rates
A Respite Care Grant of €1,700 (June 2012) is paid once each year, usually
in June, for each person you are caring for. It is not taxable.
How to apply
If you are getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Prescribed Relative's
Allowance or Domiciliary Care Allowance from the Department of Social
Protection, you do not need to apply for the Respite Care Grant. It will be
automatically paid to you in June.
If you are not getting one of these payments you should fill in an application form for
the Respite Care Grant RCG 1 (pdf). If you are caring for two people or
more you must fill in an RCG 1(a) Respite Care
Grant form for each additional person (pdf) and attach it to your completed
RCG 1 form.
If you are not getting one of the above payments and you got the Respite Care
Grant last year, you do not need to re-apply in this year using the RCG 1 form.
If you got the grant last year, you will get a letter at the end of April this
year from the Respite Care Section in the Department of Social Protection with
a short questionnaire on the back. You must answer the questions on the back
and return the letter to the Respite Care Section. A freepost envelope will be
included with your letter. After you return the letter, the Department will use
this and the information on file to reassess you for the Respite Care Grant.