THERE HAS been an “upsurge” in the number of carers losing their domiciliary care allowance following reviews of their circumstances by the Department of Social Protection, the Carers’ Association has said.
Catherine Cox, spokeswoman for the association, said there had been a marked increase in calls about losing the allowance since the start of the year.
The allowance, which is paid monthly to the carer of a child with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age, is €309.50 per month. “We have calls coming in from around the country,” said Ms Cox. “The reviews seems to have started in November. What’s extremely unfair is if the parents lost the domiciliary care allowance they also lose the carer’s allowance payment and the respite grant, so in actual fact they are being cut off from all their allowances.”
A spokeswoman for the department said domiciliary care allowance claims in payment were routinely reviewed to ensure the conditions for receipt of the payment continued to be met. “The review interval will vary from 12 months in cases where the child’s disability is likely to improve significantly in the short-term, to a five-year or 10-year review date if the child’s condition is likely to remain unchanged for the foreseeable future.
“In circumstances where a child has a severe lifelong disability that is unlikely to improve by any significant degree, a ‘do not review again’ status may be used.”
Responsibility for the allowance transferred to the Department of Social Protection from the Department of Health in mid-2010. Reviews by the Department of Social Protection began in mid-2010.
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