What has changed for people with disabilities and carers? All changes highlighted in bold.
Headlines
1. New €500 cost of disability payment
2. €10 week increase in weekly payments
3. 489 residential places, 1500 day service places
4. 2339 new SNAs, 1353 new Special Needs Teachers
Income Supports
Disability Allowance (DA): €10 increase (was €254 per week)
Social Assistance:
Invalidity Pension:
Illness Benefit Social Insurance:
Partial Capacity Benefit:
Social Insurance:
Blind Pension:
Supports for Families & Carers
Carer’s Allowance: Qualifier Checker Tool €10 increase was €270/€308 (<66/66+) per week, increase in the weekly income disregard to €1,150 (was €1,000) for a single person and €2,300 (was €2,000) for a couple’s household income.
Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA): Qualifier Checker Tool €380 per month
Carer’s Benefit: €10 increase (was €281 per week)
Carer’s Support Grant: €2,000 per year
Secondary Benefits & Allowances
Fuel Allowance: €5 increase €38 per week
Free Travel Scheme:
Household Benefits Package €1.15 per day
Living Alone: €3 increase per week
Healthcare & Medical Schemes
Medical Card / GP Visit Card Qualifier Checker Tool
Long-Term Illness Scheme (LTI):
Housing, Transport & Employment Schemes
Disabled Drivers and Disabled Passengers Scheme:
Vehicle Adaption Scheme (VAS):
EU Parking Card (Blue Badge):
Housing Adaptation Grants:
Workplace Adaptation Grants:
489 new residential places
Tax Reliefs & Financial Offsets
Incapacitated Child Tax Credit: €3,800 per year
Employing a Carer Tax Relief: up to €75,000 tax relief per year
Dependent Relative Tax Credit:
Assistance Dogs Tax Relief: €825 per year
VAT Refunds on Adaptive Equipment:
HSE Community Care & Direct Support Services
Personal Assistant (PA) Services:
Day Services (New Directions):
Home Support Services:
Respite Care:
Personalised Budgets / Self-Directed Support:
1500 new day service places
Education & Early Intervention Supports
Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs):
Home Tuition & Summer Programmes:
Third Level (DARE Scheme):
Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD):
2339 new SNAs
1353 new Special Needs Teachers
Statutory Rights, Advocacy & Public Accessibility
Assessment of Need (AON):
Other Budget Changes
State Pension: €10 increase – Contributory was €299.30 / €309.30 (<80/80+) Non-Contributory €288.00 €298.00
Further reading
Where your money goes website – Irish Public Spending Data
