# Carers Allowance



## deltaray (6 Sep 2011)

Hi there,

My wife currently claims half rate carers allowance and i claim JSA.

I maybe starting a full time job soon and would be greatful for the following help.

Will my wife automatically move to full rate carers allowance or will she have to submit a new application?

If she has to submit a new application could she just remain or half rate without them knowing? (Cant afford to wait for carers allowance and Fis, as they take months)

Is full rate carers allowance taxable? I will be working full time on minimum wage.

Thanks for your help.


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## gipimann (6 Sep 2011)

Your wife should notify Carer's Allowance section to tell them of the change in circumstances - it's not a new claim, it will be a review of her existing claim.

She will continue to be paid half-rate until the means test is carried out and her claim is reviewed.   (for a couple, the first €665 of earnings are disregarded for Carer's).

Income from Carer's Allowance is regarded as income for Tax purposes, however Carer's Allowance is not regarded as income when assessing for FIS.

There is more information on Carer's Allowance here:

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW41/Pages/1WhatisCarersAllowance.aspx

(the tax information is in the "points to note" section at the end)


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## mojo (6 Sep 2011)

A rewiew is currently taking up to 10 weeks at the minute just to bear this in mind .It is not a complete new claim which is taking 23 weeks at present but i am 9 weeks into a review and and will have a decision in 7 to 10 days according to them today


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## deltaray (6 Sep 2011)

Thanks for the replies,  can I ask what do they do in a review?  Do I have to submit medical records again and bring my child to a review officer or do they just go through paperwork?

Thanks.


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## gipimann (6 Sep 2011)

No, it will just be a financial review.  The section will ask for evidence of your earnings (they will already know that you've signed off your Jobseeker's claim from their computer system) and may ask for updates to any information previously supplied (bank accounts, etc).


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## deltaray (6 Sep 2011)

gipimann said:


> No, it will just be a financial review. The section will ask for evidence of your earnings (they will already know that you've signed off your Jobseeker's claim from their computer system) and may ask for updates to any information previously supplied (bank accounts, etc).


 
Thanks, I notice from your other post that the means test is based on  €665 of earnings are disregarded for Carer's.

Can I ask do they include FIS payments for carers?  For instance I will be earning a full time minimum wage job that is to be topped up with FIS, this will just over the €665, or do they disregard FIS payments when means testing?

Thanks again for your help.


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## gipimann (6 Sep 2011)

According to this section of the Carer's Allowance information leaflet

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW41/Pages/7Whatdoesnotcountasmeans.aspx

_SW payments made to the spouse/partner of the person claiming Carer's allowance are not counted as means._

There's no specific mention of FIS, so I would guess that it's also excluded.


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