"Carer's" allowance for parents at home?

[PetPal]

In a chat with a friend about various cost-of-living issues she mentioned that, in the past, when she was working and her husband was the "housewife", her husband received "the carer's allowance" (her words). My friend is a well-educated upstanding citizen, so I am assuming that she and/or her husband were not doing anything wrong in claiming the allowance that she mentioned. However, from what I know of the actual Carer's Allowance, there has to be an element of caring for someone (other than just looking after your own children who are healthy). Am I right? Is there another type of allowance that she might be referring to and that I don't know about, that is available to a parent who stays at home looking after his/her children? Many thanks.

 

[Fullback]

It's just a guess but your friend may be referring to the Home Carers Tax Credit that is available to single income couples with children. It's worth €900 per annum.

There are some circumstances where Carer's Allowance is payable where a child is in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance but as you describe the children as "healthy" it doesn't sound as if this is one of those cases.

Other than that, Carer's Allowance is only payable where the cared-for person requires "full-time care and attention" and where the carer is in a position to provide it.

 

[giles]

There is no allowance for a parent that stays at home to look after "healthy" children. However your partner can apply for Family Income Supplement.