Introduction
The Blind Pension is really a payment that is means-tested to blind and aesthetically weakened those who are habitually resident in Ireland. The repayment is manufactured because of the Department of Employment Affairs and personal Protection. To be eligible for the Pension you need to provide an eye fixed test from an opthalmic doctor to confirm your artistic disability.
The payment consists of a individual price for you and additional quantities for a professional adult and any youngster dependants (see ‘Rates’ below). You may also qualify for the Blind Welfare Allowance paid by the HSE if you are awarded a Blind Pension.
You will automatically get 
a free of charge Travel Pass and a Companion complimentary Travel Pass. (a totally free Travel Pass allows you to definitely travel on State transport that is public Ireland free of charge. A Companion Free Travel Pass permits your friend aged 16 or higher to also travel free of charge). It’s also possible to be eligible for a other advantages like the Alone that is living Increase the Household pros Package.
One-Parent Family Payment and Blind Pension
Blind Pension is payable with One-Parent Family Payment (OFP). Which means someone who qualifies for OFP and Blind Pension will get both re re re payments during the complete price. Those who be eligible for Blind Pension are exempted through the age conditions for OFP. Which means you can easily claim both Blind Pension and OFP (and any IQCs payable with both Blind Pension and OFP) together until your youngest son or daughter is 16 years old.
Guidelines
You should make your claim 4 months before your 18th birthday if you are blind or have a serious visual impairment before reaching 18 years. (if you should be aged 16-18, you may possibly be eligible for Disability Allowance.) Blind Pension is certainly not compensated when you turn 66.
You should apply as soon as possible if you become blind or seriously visually impaired after your 18th birthday. This is really important as payment is only able to be manufactured through the date the application is gotten . After you may qualify for a Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit if you require full-time care, the person looking.
The means test
The primary items which are counted as means consist of:
- Any money earnings you or your better half, civil partner or cohabitant might have (including earnings from work)
- The worthiness of cost savings, assets, stocks, land etc.
- Any home you may have
- Repair paid to you personally if you should be deserted, divided or even a civil partner maybe maybe not managing one other partner that is civil.
The following things are perhaps maybe perhaps not counted as opportinity for Blind Pension:
- Your house
- Any re re payment created by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection
- The worthiness of this very first €20,000 of money assets (for instance, cost savings)
- Cash received from a recognised charitable organization (excluding public or local authority)
- The upkeep element of a pupil grant from SUSI paid for you, an adult that is qualified son or daughter dependant(s) for many courses
- Income as much as a limit that is certain work
- Earnings from rehabilitative training
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Child Benefit, Supplementary Welfare Allowance or care that is foster
- Mobility Allowance through the Department of wellness
- Blind Welfare Allowance paid by the HSE
Work and Blind Pension
You can make €120 per from employment before these earnings affect your payment week. In the event that you earn significantly more than €120 per from work, 50% of your earnings between €120 and €350 are not taken into account in the Blind Pension means test week. All your valuable profits over €350 are examined as earnings along with your entitlement to Blind Pension are going to be lower in line with all the appropriate reduced prices of re re payment for Blind Pension.
There are not any disregards for the partner, civil partner or cohabitant’s profits.
Blind Pension along with other re re payments
You satisfy the relevant conditions, you may also qualify for if you are under age 66 and:
- Adoptive Benefit
- Half-rate Carer’s Allowance
- Health insurance and Protection Benefit
- Infection Benefit
- Injury Benefit
- Jobseeker’s Benefit
- Maternity Benefit
- One-Parent Family Payment (until your youngest youngster is 16)
- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory and pension that is non-Contributory
An increase is also payable on the schemes listed above if an increase is payable for a qualified spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and/or qualified children with your Blind pension.
Blind Pension is payable when you are getting Partial ability Benefit. Partial ability Benefit just isn’t taken into consideration when you look at the means test for Blind Pension however your profits are taken into consideration and may even impact the level of Blind Pension paid.
How exactly to use
A braille and cassette that is audio form of this form can be offered by the nationwide Council when it comes to Blind of Ireland. This form can be offered by your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. Staff in your Intreo Centre or personal Welfare Branch workplace will undoubtedly be thrilled to enable you to complete the proper execution and may respond to any concerns you have.
You may need to send the Department certificates if the relevant birth(s), marriage, civil partnership or civil union took place outside the Republic of Ireland when you apply for Blind Pension.
If you’re unhappy having a decision made regarding the claim for Blind Pension, it is possible to impress against it. Discover more about the social welfare appeals procedure.
You have to constantly inform the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection if you can find any modifications to your position when you are getting A blind retirement. If for example the means or circumstances change you might no further be eligible for the re re payment or it might be paid off. This may imply that you need to repay an overpayment.