There are a lot of symptoms connected with the condition and nobody will ever have all of the symptoms and no two people will ever have the same combination of symptoms. The majority of people with Asperger Syndrome will experience difficulties in developing their social, communication and emotional skills. 

What Allowances are Available?      

Domiciliary Care Allowance
The Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly means tested payment made in Ireland to the carer of a child with a severe disability who lives at home. In order to qualify, the child must have a severe disability that is likely to last for at least one year and:

• Must be aged under 16
• Must live at home
• Must need substantially more constant care and attention than a child of the same age who does not have a disability.

Eligibility for the allowance is determined primarily by the degree of additional care and attention needed by the child rather than the type of disability involved, subject to the means test. Medical assessment is carried out by the Senior Area Medical Officer in the Health Service Executive (HSE). There are no rigid medical guidelines regarding the type of disability a qualifying child must have. (In other words, no particular conditions/disabilities are specified). Instead, it is a matter for the Senior Area Medical Officer in the Health Service Executive (HSE) to determine whether a child with a particular condition qualifies for the Allowance.

Since 1 January 2008, the Domiciliary Care Allowance rate is 299.60 euro per month. There is no restriction on the number of children in respect of whom you may claim Domiciliary Care Allowance. (In other words, if you are caring for more than 1 child who qualifies for Domiciliary Care Allowance, you may claim the monthly allowance for each). From June 2008 the annual Respite Care Grant is 1,700 euro if you are caring for one child and 3,400 euro if you are caring for two or more children.

Please contact your local Health Centre for further details.


Respite Care Grant
The Respite Care Grant is a cash payment made to Carers by the Department of Social and Family Affairs in Ireland . Carers can use the grant in whatever way they wish. You can use the grant to pay for respite care if you wish, but it is not necessary to do so. In June of each year, the Department of Social and Family Affairs pay the grant to certain Carers. In previous years it has been paid to those getting Carer’s Allowance, and Carers Benefit, Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relative's Allowance. The Health Service Executive (HSE) is responsible for payment of the Respite Care Grant to people getting Domiciliary Care Allowance and no other payment. Since June 2005, you don't have to be receiving a payment for caring in order to get the Respite Care Grant.

The grant is paid to those getting one of the payments mentioned above as well as certain other Carers providing full-time care. If you are not receiving one of the above payments, you must be:

• Aged 16 or over
• Ordinarily resident in the State
• Caring for the person on a full-time basis
• Living with the person being cared for or, if not, be contactable quickly by a direct system of communication (for example, telephone or alarm).

If you are caring for more than one person, a grant is paid for each of them.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) pays the Respite Care Grant to people who are only receiving Domiciliary Care Allowance. To be eligible to receive the Respite Care Grant from the Health Service Executive (HSE), you must be receiving the Domiciliary Care Allowance during the first week of June in the relevant year or must subsequently qualify for the Domiciliary Care Allowance and be paid the Domiciliary Care Allowance retrospectively for the first week of June in the relevant year.

A Respite Care Grant of €1,500 (€1,700 from June 2008) is paid for each person you are caring for. It is not taxable. Carers who receive Domiciliary Care Allowance can also get the Respite Care Grant, but there is a maximum payment of €3,000 (€3,400 from June 2008). If you are getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Constant Attendance Allowance or Prescribed Relative's Allowance you do not need to apply for the Respite Care Grant. It will be automatically paid to you in June.

You can obtain a Respite Care Grant application form, from your local Social Welfare Officer or Citizens Information Centre or from the Department's Lo-Call Leaflet request line 1890 20 23 25.

Disability Allowance
Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability in Ireland that are aged 16 or over and under age 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical suitability and a means test.

To qualify for Disability Allowance you must:

• Have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year. As a result of this condition you are substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications
• Be aged between 16 and 66
• Satisfy a means test

The means test applies to means from your spouse in addition to your own means. The main items that count as means include:

• Cash income that you or your spouse/partner may have
• The value of savings, investments, shares, land, etc.
• Any property you may have (other than your own home)
• Maintenance paid to you if you are deserted/separated.

You may engage in rehabilitate employment and earn up to €120 per week without your payment being affected. You must first seek permission from the Department of Social and Family Affairs before engaging in work.

From January 2008, the weekly maximum rate of Disability Allowance is:

Download the application form for Disability Allowance here (pdf). This form is also available from your nearest Social Welfare Office.

Disability Allowance Section, Department of Social and Family Affairs, Social Welfare Services Office, Government Buildings , Ballinalee Road , Longford. 
Tel: (043) 45 211 or (01) 874 8444 // Homepage: www.welfare.ie 

Carers’ Allowance
Carer's Allowance is a payment to people living in Ireland who are looking after someone who is in need of support because of age, physical or learning disability or illness, including mental illness. The Carer's Allowance is not payable to everyone, it is mainly aimed at carers on low incomes who live with and look after certain people who need full-time care and attention. You will also qualify for free household benefits (such as Free Electricity/Natural Gas/Bottled Gas Refill Allowance, Free Television Licence, Free Telephone Rental Allowance) and a Free Travel Pass. The Respite Care Grant is automatically paid to people getting Carer's Allowance in June of each year.  

In order to be entitled to a Carer's Allowance:

• You must be living with, or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who does not normally live in an institution.
• You must be resident in the state
• You must not live in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution
• You must be at least 18 years old and
• You must not be engaged in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. During your absence, adequate care for the person requiring full-time care and attention must be arranged.

The person being cared for must be:

• Over the age of 16 and so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention or aged under 16 and in receipt of a Domiciliary Care Allowance.

The person receiving care is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention where

• He or she is so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself or continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions, and
• He or she is so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least twelve months.

Your means are any income you or your spouse/partner have or property (except your home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide you with an income, for example, an occupational pension, pensions/benefits from another country.

Your payment is made up of a personal rate for yourself and extra amounts for your child dependants. The amount you will get depends on your means. You can claim an increase in your payment for a child if he/she is under age 18, normally lives with you and is maintained by you. Where a child is in full-time education by day at a recognized school or college, this increase is payable up to the end of the academic year in which he/she reaches age 22. Full rate Increase for a Qualified Child is payable if you are single, widowed or separated. Half the increase is payable if you are living with your spouse/partner. If your spouse / partner is getting a payment from the Department of Social and Family Affairs, he/she will also get half the Increase for a Qualified Child and you will get half the Increase for a Qualified Child.

Carer's Allowance rates from January 2008:

You may claim full-rate increase in your payment for a child dependent if you are a carer and are single, widowed or separated. You may claim half-rate increase in your payment for a child dependent if you are a carer and are living with your spouse or partner.

You should apply for a Carer's Allowance as soon possible. Download an application form for Carers Allowance (pdf) or contact your local Social Welfare local office for a copy of this form. Forward the completed application form with the relevant certificates to Carer's Allowance Section at the Department of Social and Family Affairs (see address below).

Carer's Allowance Section
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Line 1, Ballinalee Road , Longford.
Tel: (043) 45 211 // Web: www.welfare.ie

Homemakers Scheme
There is no direct payment under this scheme but the years spent caring for a disabled person may be counted for contributory pension purposes. Contact the Department of Social Community and Family Affairs for details. Tel: 01 704 3096
 

Medical Card
A person with a disability may be entitled to a Medical Card and you should contact the Department of Health to find out if you or somebody you know is suitable. Tel: 01 635 400. www.dohc.ie 


Incapacitated Child Tax Credit
A tax credit of €3,660 may be claimed by parents of a child with a permanent physical or mental disability. Contact the Revenue Commissioners, 9/15 Upper O’Connell Street ,  Dublin 1. Tel: 1890 333 425. www.revenue.ie 


Revenue Allowances
You may also be entitled to an incapacitated Child Allowance from the Revenue Commissioners and a refund of certain medical expenses using the Med 1 form.
Tel: 1890 333 425. www.revenue.ie

VAT Refund
If your child requires special equipment (computer, etc), you may be entitled to claim a refund on the VAT. You will need to fill out a VAT 61A Form. This can be downloaded from the revenue website under www.revenue.ie/forms/vat61a.pdf. For further details contact the Unregistered VAT Section of the Revenue office on 1890 202 033. www.revenue.ie.  

July Provision
A provision concerning the continuation of education for the month of July is available. Applies only to Children with Autism and Asperger Syndrome only. Total amount available is €1084.80 (40 hours). Contact the Dept. of Education and Science for further details. Tel: 01 889 6400. www.education.ie (Full details of who to contact are available on the Aspire site. Please visit following link for more details: http://www.aspire-irl.org/new_to_aspire2.HTM) 

* All amounts as per Jan. 2008

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If you have any questions concerning the content of this page, please dont hesitate to contact our Helpline Officer. 

Phone:   01 878-0027 // E-mail:  admin@aspire-irl.org

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