# Carers Allowance



## JEON50 (21 Sep 2011)

I am on disability Allowance which is means tested, I am paid a dependent allowance for my Wife you is my carer. She is paid half rate carers allowance. She is allowed work 15 hours. What is she allowed to earn before it effects her Allowance and my DA ?


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## ClubMan (21 Sep 2011)

Can you figure it out from this info?

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...welfare_payments/carers/carers_allowance.html
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e...ability_and_illness/disability_allowance.html


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## pudds (21 Sep 2011)

Found this from INOU  I assume its up to date and might help.

*Carers Payments and Working*

Persons in  receipt of Carers Allowance and Carers Benefit can engage in part-time  employment or self-employment and continue to receive a Carers payment.  The carer must have permission from the Department of Social Protection  before taking up any work.
The following is allowed, if during the  carers absence, adequate provision of care has been arranged for the  person being cared for: -


voluntary or community work for up to 15 hours a week -
paid  part-time as a Home Help for the Health Service Executive for up to 15  hours a week (your earnings will not be assessed as means), -
limited self-employment in your own home (any earnings will be assessed as means) -
employment outside your home for up to 15 hours a week (any earnings will be assessed as means) -
education or training courses up to 15 hours per week. -
for Carer's Benefit you cannot earn more than €332.50 per week from employment
[broken link removed]


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## JEON50 (21 Sep 2011)

Carers benifit is not means tested, carers allowance is, so do the same rules apply. Also will I lose her dependent allowance on my DA. My wife is a nurse, so she would just do 1x 12 hour shift, per week. We worked out nett at 199.62, for weekends only


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## gipimann (21 Sep 2011)

The €332.50 figure mentioned in an earlier post applies to Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit, although it's treated differently for each scheme.  

Carer's Benefit is based on PRSI contributions - a carer cannot earn more than €332.50 pw and continue to receive Carer's Benefit.
For Carer's Allowance,  €332.50 earnings are disregarded when assessing means.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/IllnessDisabilityAndCaring/Carers/CarersAllowance/Pages/ca.aspx

A carer must make arrangements for the person being cared for while the carer is working - if your wife is going to work a 12 hr shift, she may have to show the Department that alternative arrangements for caring have been made.

Spouse/Partner's earnings are assessed as follows for Disability Allowance:

Weekly earnings are gross earnings less PRSI, superannuation and union dues. 

€20 per day (up to a maximum of €60) from work is deducted from your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant's average weekly earnings and then 60% of the balance is assessed as weekly means. The weekly means is then deducted from the combined total of your personal rate of Disability Allowance and the maximum Increase for a Qualified Adult.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/Il...isabilities/DisabilityAllowance/Pages/da.aspx


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## Black Sheep (21 Sep 2011)

I think this is the piece you need

*Income from spouse's/civil partner's/cohabitant's work*

  If your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant works it can affect your Disability Allowance. 
  Since 26 September 2007, your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant's weekly earnings are assessed as follows: 
  Weekly earnings are gross earnings less PRSI, superannuation and union dues. 
  €20 per day (up to a maximum of €60) from work is deducted from your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant's average weekly earnings and then 60% of the balance is assessed as weekly means. The weekly means is then deducted from the combined total of your personal rate of Disability Allowance and the maximum Increase for a Qualified Adult.


Applying the above to your situation I think it works like this:-


Wife  earns E200.00 

Deduct E20.00  = 180.00
60% of 180.00 = 108.00 = weekly means
Deduction from combined Dis.Allowance = E108.00

Income:-
Disability allowance (E188.00 + E124.80) less E108.00 = E204.80
Half-rate Carers                                                   = E102.00
Wife's work                                                         = E200.00

Sorry my post crossed with gipimann


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## JEON50 (22 Sep 2011)

Thanks again to all, I had the information from the SW site, but could not understand it, Best Regards JEON


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