Social Welfare Appeals Service

Information and Representation Service

Clinic every Monday from 10AM – 2PM at CEEDS

Social Welfare Appeals

If you need to appeal a decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office or the Ombudsman’s Office, our Officer can represent you.

Initial consultation is free. This will allow you to gain enough information in order to decide if you want to appeal and whether you would like to be represented.

If after the first consultation you decide that you need full representation, we offer a no-win, no-fee service. If you do not win your case, we will not charge you anything. If you do win, your fee is paid out of the backdated payment that you receive from your Social Welfare entitlement.

This is an appointment only service – Every Monday at CEEDS Clondalkin from 10AM – 2PM. To make an appointment with an Officer, please call CEEDS on 01-6233629 or email welfare@ceeds.ie

Your Social Welfare Entitlements

Social Welfare rules are changing all the time. Your social welfare entitlements also change along with your circumstances. Sometimes we don’t think about how changes will affect our social welfare payments. There are also a number of secondary benefits and social welfare payments that not everyone is aware of. We recommend that you check your social welfare entitlements at least once every year, and also every time you experience a change of circumstances. You may not be receiving everything that you are entitled to.

Check to see whether you are getting the right rate of payment (e.g., if you are under 26 or if you have means assessed against you), whether there are any secondary benefits you are entitled to, and how your social welfare payment will be affected if you start working.

Contact us to make an appointment at our Monday clinic at CEEDS, and one of our experts can go over your circumstances to see if you are receiving everything you are entitled to.

Free confidential Welfare Rights Information Service

CEEDS provides a free and confidential Welfare Rights information service. For further information or to book an appointment with our Welfare information Officer please call us on 01-6233629 or drop into us at CEEDS.

Medical Cards

Did you know, if you or a family member has a serious or life-threatening illness and would not usually qualify for a Medical Card an application can be made for a Discretionary Medical Card. Further information is available on the HSE website 

Domiciliary Carers Allowance

If you are in receipt of Domiciliary carers allowance for a child, that that child is eligible to apply for a medical card. The DCA medical card form can be requested online through the HSE website.

Back to Work Family Dividend payment

The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme aims to help families to move from social welfare into employment. It gives financial support to people with qualified children who are in or take up employment or self-employment and as a result STOP claiming a jobseeker’s payment or a one-parent family payment

• If you qualify for the scheme, you will get a weekly payment for up to 2 years. You will be paid the equivalent of any Increase for Qualified Children (€31.80) that were being paid on your jobseeker or one-parent family payment.
• You will get half that rate for the second year.
• The Back to Work Family Dividend can be paid with Working Family Payment (WFP) and is not taken into account in the means test for WFP
• You are not eligible for BTWFD if you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is getting a social welfare payment or is on an employment or training scheme.
• BTWFD is not paid together with the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

One Parent Family Tax Credit

The Single Person Child Carer Credit (SPCCC) is a tax credit for
people who are caring for children on their own.

-Tax credits reduce the amount of tax that you have to pay.

-The Single Person Child Carer Credit is €1,650 in 2018.

-This is in ADDITION to a single person tax credit

-This will reduce the tax you pay by €31.73 per week.

-A person who gets the SPCCC is also entitled to an €4,000 extension in the standard rate band, which increases the rate band from €34,550 to €38,550.

–You may only claim one credit, even if you care for more than one child.

-It is only available to ONE parent – the parent who the child lives for a majority of the year

Where the court has awarded joint custody then the parent who receives the Child Benefit will receive the SPCCC.

The qualifying conditions are:
• That your child is either born in the tax year, is aged under 18 at the start of the tax year or over 18 but in full time education.
• As the claimant you must NOT be cohabiting or be jointly assessed for tax (either as married or civilly partnered)
• Not widowed or a surviving civil partner in the year for which you are making the claim.

Household Benefits Package

The Household Benefits Package may help with the costs of running your household. The package is available to everyone aged over 70 and to SOME people under 70.

**The package includes an electricity or gas allowance and a Free Television License.

**The electricity or gas allowance pays €35 per month (€1.15 per day) towards the cost of either your electricity or gas supply (you cannot get an allowance for both).

**It is paid to your bank or post office account or as a credit on your bill.

**You can get the Free Television License from the next renewal date of your license after you qualify for the package.

**Only one person in a household can qualify for the package.

**You will need to show that you are the registered gas or electricity consumer, by providing a utility bill.

**People aged between 66 and 70 MAY also qualify if they are getting a qualifying payment, such as the State Pension.

**If they are not getting a qualifying payment, they must satisfy a means test.

Did you know that as well as social welfare forms, we also have forms such as:

• E.H.I.C
• GP Visit cards
• Better Energy Warmer homes scheme
• Single Person Child Carer Credit(tax)
• Driving License Forms
• Passport Forms
• Long term illness

Half-rate Carers allowance

if you are getting certain social welfare payments and you are providing FULL time care and attention to another person you MAY also qualify for half rate Carer’s Allowance. You must meet the criteria for Carer’s Allowance some of which is outlined below.

– Aged 18 and over, satisfy a MEANS TEST
– You must be living with the person you care for or reasonably
close by
– NOT be engaged in employment or training outside the home
for more than 15 hours a week.

The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself OR continual supervision and assistance throughout the day, and be likely to require full time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months.

Medical reports from a doctor must also be provided.
This is subject to approval from The Department of Employment and Social protection.

We can help with any queries you may have!

Proudly supporting our community since 1993