Minister Calleary announces online application service for Domiciliary Care Allowance

• MyWelfare service extends to Domiciliary Care Allowance
• Department aims to have 90 per cent of services online by 2030
• over 58,000 families are currently in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance
• 3 million transactions via MyWelfare in 2024

The Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary has announced that a new online application service for Domiciliary Care Allowance is now available at MyWelfare.ie.

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a non-taxable monthly payment to a parent/guardian for a child under 16 with a disability. The child must require ongoing care and attention, substantially over and above what is needed by a child of the same age.

The new online application is a further extension of the services available on MyWelfare, the department’s online platform, and marks a significant step forward in improving accessibility and efficiency to payments for families caring for children with disabilities.

Minister Calleary commented:

“This is a meaningful development for families across the country. The introduction of an online application service for Domiciliary Care Allowance will make the process more accessible and efficient, ensuring that families can apply with greater ease and receive support in a timely manner. It reflects the government’s commitment to modernise public services and support those who care for children with complex needs.”

Recipients of Domiciliary Care Allowance automatically qualify for the Carer’s Support Grant paid on the first Thursday in June each year. The Carer’s Support Grant was increased to €2,000 in Budget 2025 and will be paid on 5 June this year.

Over 58,000 families are currently in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance. Further information on the payment is available at www.gov.ie/dca.

How to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance

Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months.

In addition to the above medical criteria, the following conditions must be satisfied to qualify for the payment:

• the child must be under the age of 16
• the child must be resident in the State
• the child must live at home with the person claiming the allowance for five or more days a week
• the person claiming the allowance for the child must provide for the care of the child and habitually live in the State

DCA is not means tested, is not subject to PRSI conditions, and is exempt from income tax, PRSI and USC.

You automatically qualify for the annual Carer’s Support Grant if you get Domiciliary Care Allowance.

Why use MyWelfare

MyWelfare is the quickest and easiest way to access a range of welfare services. It is designed with users in mind, making it easy to use and convenient. It saves people time by eliminating the need for physical office visits or posting forms/documents.

MyWelfare also provides real-time information on all claims and applications. It makes managing social welfare services more efficient and hassle-free.

What you can do on MyWelfare

You can apply for various services on MyWelfare and access your personalised dashboard, where you can:

• see the status of your claim
• view your payment information
• manage your claim, like uploading information about a change in circumstances through document upload or updating your address
• get secure messages from the department through notifications

Further information on the services available is at MyWelfare.