The Department of Social Protection has expanded its online services with the addition of Domiciliary Care Allowance applications to MyWelfare.ie, as announced by Minister Dara Calleary TD. This development aims to improve accessibility for families caring for children with disabilities, forming part of the Department’s broader goal to have 90 per cent of services available online by 2030.

Supporting Families with Disabled Children

Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-taxable payment provided to parents or guardians of children under 16 with disabilities who require care and attention substantially beyond what is typically needed by children of the same age. Currently, over 58,000 families across Ireland receive this crucial support.

Minister Calleary highlighted the significance of this development, stating:

“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.”

Additional Benefits and Eligibility

Recipients of Domiciliary Care Allowance automatically qualify for the Carer’s Support Grant, which will be paid on 5th June this year. The grant has been increased to €2,000 in Budget 2025.

To qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance, several conditions must be met:

• The child must be under 16 years of age
• The child must have a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care for at least 12 consecutive months
• The child must be resident in Ireland
• The child must live at home with the applicant for five or more days per week
• The person claiming the allowance must provide care for the child and habitually live in Ireland

Importantly, this allowance is not means tested, has no PRSI conditions, and is exempt from income tax, PRSI and USC.

MyWelfare’s Growing Importance

The addition of Domiciliary Care Allowance to MyWelfare.ie represents another step in the platform’s expansion, which processed over 3 million transactions in 2024 alone. The online platform offers users a convenient way to access welfare services without physical office visits or posting forms and documents.

Through their personalised dashboard, users can track claim status, view payment information, manage claims by uploading documents about changes in circumstances, update addresses, and receive secure messages from the Department through notifications.

Further information about Domiciliary Care Allowance is available at www.gov.ie/dca, while details about additional services can be found on MyWelfare.ie.