# CA  (Carers Allowance) and Free Schemes?



## irishpancake (10 Mar 2010)

It seems that people in receipt of Carers Allowance are also entitled to get the Free Schemes, as below:



> Free Schemes
> 
> If you qualify for Carer's Allowance, you also qualify for:
> 
> ...



see here

However, I am a little confused by this statement:



> Free Schemes
> 
> In certain circumstances a Carer, aged 66 or over, may also qualify for:
> 
> ...



See here

Both of the above quotes are taken from the welfare.ie site. 

Does anyone know if the Free Schemes are automatically granted to a person getting CA, as is implied in the first quote above, or are they only granted to a carer who is over 66, in certain circumstances?

It certainly confuses me, can anyone shed some light?

I would be extremely grateful for info as to the true position.


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## gipimann (10 Mar 2010)

*Re: CA and Free Schemes*

The Operational Guidelines on Household Benefits reads as follows:

_*Applicants Aged 70 or over or applicants in receipt of a Carer's Allowance:* or who are the nominated carer of a person in receipt of a Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relatives Allowance: _

_Applicant must be permanently residing in the State.
AND _
_No other person in their household can be in receipt of the allowance.
AND _
_The applicant must be the registered consumer of electricity/gas if s/he is applying for an Electricity Allowance or Natural Gas Allowance. The applicant must be the registered telephone account holder if s/he is applying for a Telephone Allowance_
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/pages/hbp.aspx#qualify

This seems to imply that the HHB package is automatic for persons in receipt of Carer's with no age restriction.

There is an application form for HHB - http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Forms/Documents/hb1.pdf which must be completed and sent to SW.


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## irishpancake (10 Mar 2010)

*Re: CA and Free Schemes*

Thanks for that gipimann.

I was also quoting from an Operational Guideline Document, for Carers Allowance.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/carers_all.aspx#part1

Your quote is from the Operational Guidelines specifically for HBP.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/pages/hbp.aspx#qualify

I guess there is a slight discrepancy between both docs terminology, but hopefully your HBP-specific shows the true situation in relation to qualification.

But surely these documents are scanned by someone who knows the true situation before publication? 

There should not be any confusion relating to eligability in documents published on the welfare.ie site.

Perhaps I will contact them to find out which document is the valid one, and ask them to amend or remove the invalid document.


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## gipimann (10 Mar 2010)

*Re: CA and Free Schemes*

I know that most of the documents have been rewritten over the past few years to make them clearer, perhaps these haven't been updated yet.

The "last updated" date can be found in the top right of the document page.

Each section would usually manage their own guideline documents, which may have led to the discrepancy between them (HHB section would be separate to Carer's section).  It's very worthwhile pointing out anomalies and errors such as you found - you could use their online comment form which you can find here

https://www.welfare.ie/EN/Secure/Pages/WebsiteCommentCardForm.aspx


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## irishpancake (14 Mar 2010)

*Re: CA and Free Schemes*

Thanks gipimann.

Just sent a (complicated) comment via the link you indicated. Hopefully this will help to clarify the anomalous situation I have highlighted.


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## Guest110 (14 Mar 2010)

You can get these without being 66, my father is a carer for my mother and he gets all of the above !


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## irishpancake (15 Mar 2010)

thanks for the info alexandra.

I figured that OK. 

It's just the apparently wrong info given on the www.welfare.ie website that is bothering me. 



> Free Schemes
> 
> In *certain circumstances a Carer, aged 66 or over, *may also qualify for:
> 
> ...



This statement obviously cannot be true, as you have personal knowledge of, but it is on the welfare site Operational Guidelines section for Carers Allowance.

I have raised a query about this with welfare, but they have not replied yet.


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## irishpancake (16 Mar 2010)

Hi again

Welfare have been back on to me regarding my query as outlined above.



> Pancake,
> 
> I refer to your recent E_mail regarding Carers and the qualifying conditions for the Household Benefits Package.
> All recipients of Carers Allowance have an entitlement to the Household Benefits Package. The Household composition is not a factor either.
> ...



Name of official hidden for privacy reasons.

I think that is a pretty good response, and it is worth contacting welfare via this link, provided by _gipimann_


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## gipimann (16 Mar 2010)

Delighted that it was sorted out IrishPancake!  The system does work (sometimes  )


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## becky (16 Mar 2010)

Gipimann - have you any idea on the timescales in granting the CA.


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## irishpancake (16 Mar 2010)

Absolutely _gipimann_.

*Sometimes* is indeed the operative word, but perhaps not enough ppl actually make use of the facilities there, such as the one you pointed out, don't you think.

Like you, I tend to follow up with queries, and keep after them until a solution is provided.

Irish ppl should do a lot more constructive complaining, and then we would perhaps have a better society 

.


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## gipimann (17 Mar 2010)

becky said:


> Gipimann - have you any idea on the timescales in granting the CA.


 
Sorry Becky, I don't have any specific info, though it would be in the region of 6-8 weeks minimum I'd guess.  I'm sure there are some AAMers who could advise you based on their own experiences.


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