Three lump sum payments will be paid this week as part of the cost-of-living supports announced in last month’s budget.
Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys will outline the details of the payments on Monday morning.
They include a lump-sum payment of €400 for about 120,000 carers on Thursday.
From Wednesday to Friday, a €200 lump sum payment will be paid to the 240,000 people in receipt of the living alone allowance.
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Throughout the week, a lump sum of €100 per child will be paid to families in respect of 370,000 qualified children. This is paid to people who receive an ‘Increase for a Qualified Child’ on their primary social welfare payment.
The minister will also announce a new scheme to provide pension provision for long-term carers for the first time in the history of the State. The new Long Term Carers Contributions scheme makes it easier for a long-term carers to qualify for a Contributory State Pension.
Any period in which a carer is registered as providing care to a person who has a disability that requires full-time care and attention, can be included in their pay-related social insurance record for State pension purposes. To avail of these changes, a minimum of 20 years of long-term carers contributions are required.
Carers can now apply for Long-Term Carers contributions at MyWelfare.ie.
The minister is expected to say: “This will help ensure that thousands of people, mainly women, who have spent time caring for their loved ones will now be able to qualify for the Contributory State Pension.
“I encourage all carers to register their caring periods at MyWelfare.ie, so that in cases where they have cared for a loved one for 20 years, their pension entitlement reflects their important contribution to their family and to society by the time they reach pension age.”
