Paul Murphy
Question:892. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection whether retrospective applications can be granted for a carer’s allowance (details supplied). [56905/23]
View answerWednesday, 17 January 2024
Questions (892)
Written answers
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
In order to qualify, applicants must show that they are habitually resident in the State, that their means are less than the statutory limit, that they are providing full-time care and attention and that the person being cared for requires that level of care.
Payment of CA may continue for 12 weeks after the death of the person being cared for. If the person concerned is care sharing, payment of CA may also continue for 12 weeks after the death of the person being cared for.
A person is disqualified from payment of CA for any period before the date on which the claim is made. However, the claim can be backdated for up to 6 months in circumstances where "good cause" is shown for the delay in making the claim, provided the claimant can prove to the satisfaction of the Deciding Officer (DO) or Appeals Officer (AO) that they satisfied the qualifying conditions for receipt of payment during that period.
Failure to claim the CA at the correct time may result in loss of entitlement to the payment for the period concerned.
Lack of knowledge by itself is not regarded as sufficient reason for not claiming in time. The Department publishes information leaflets as widely as possible and advertises changes of legislation in the National Press. Information Officers are available throughout the country for people to make enquiries as to their entitlements.
Further back-dating may also be possible in certain circumstances:
- where the failure to claim within the prescribed time period arose as a result of false and misleading information being provided by staff of this department to the person or their agent
or
- the person was so incapacitated by illness or infirmity between time of entitlement and making the claim that they could not make the claim or instruct another person to make the claim on their behalf
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.