Press release
Minister Humphreys welcomes international award for the hair replacement grant under the Treatment Benefit Scheme
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has welcomed the announcement that the hair replacement grant, provided by her department, has been recognised with a certificate of merit at the International Social Security Association (ISSA), Regional Security Forum Good Practice Awards.
The grant pays up to €500 towards the cost of a hairpiece, wig or hair replacement for people who suffer hair loss due to illness and was launched in May 2022.
Initially the scheme was expected to benefit 2,000 women or men during the first year, but it exceeded expectations with 2,700 grants awarded in the first 12 months. In just under two years since its launch over 6,000 grants have been awarded, with total payments of over €3 million.
The grant is delivered under the Department of Social Protection’s Treatment Benefit Scheme and covers hair loss resulting from cancer and forms of alopecia.
In making the announcement, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to see that the International Social Security Agency has recognised the fantastic work by my department’s staff in implementing this Budget 2022 measure.
"The grant was introduced in recognition of both the physical and psychological impact that sudden hair loss can have on someone’s life.
“This initiative has supported over 6,000 people living with forms of alopecia or cancer.
“The grant of up to €500 has assisted in the purchase of a wig or hairpiece, for people who suffer the trauma of hair loss.
“It was designed to support women or men who lose something that so many of us, on a daily basis, take for granted.”
The €500 grant is available to people, and their dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who satisfy the medical requirements and the PRSI conditions of the department’s Treatment Benefit scheme.
Employees paying PRSI contributions under Classes A, E, P and H as well as the self-employed who are insured under Class S may qualify for the grant.
The amount paid by the Department of Social Protection is the full cost of one hair replacement item per calendar year, up to a maximum cost of €500 and is available since 28 May 2022. It is not available to people who avail of surgical or topical treatments.
191 providers have registered with the scheme and are providing hair replacement items under the scheme across the country.
The scheme covers hair loss resulting from a disease or treatment of a disease such as cancer and some forms of alopecia. The types of alopecia for which a grant may be paid are:
Full details on how to qualify for the grant towards the cost of a hairpiece, wig or hair replacement are available on the Department of Social Protection’s website: gov.ie - Treatment Benefit.
The International Social Security Association (ISSA) handed out the Good Practice Award at the Regional Social Security Forum for Europe, which takes place 16–18 April 2024. A record 119 good practices from 41 ISSA member institutions in 26 countries were submitted to this year’s European competition, with ZUS from Poland being the overall winner.
Further information on the Good Practice awards is available from ISSA.com.