Guardian's Payment
A weekly payment to the person caring for an orphaned child. There is a contributory version based on PRSI and a means-tested non-contributory version — both paid at the same maximum rate.
- Type
- Based on PRSI
- Paid
- Every week
- Taxable
- No
- Administered by
- Department of Social Protection
How much is Guardian's Payment?
€237/week
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) — standard rate
| Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) — maximum rate | €237/week |
|---|
Paid to the guardian, not the child. The Contributory version is not means-tested and needs only one week of PRSI paid.
Who can get Guardian's Payment
- The child must be under 18, or under 22 and in full-time education.
- Both parents must be deceased, or one deceased and the other unknown, abandoned or failing to provide.
- The payment goes to the person caring for the child.
The Guardian's Payment means test
The Contributory version is not means-tested. The Non-Contributory version is means-tested on the child's own means, not the guardian's — the first €7.60 a week is disregarded.
| Weekly means disregard (child's own means) | €7.60 |
|---|
How your savings are assessed
All means-tested payments except Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
| Capital | Weekly means assessed |
|---|---|
| First €20,000 | Nil |
| Next €10,000 | €1 per €1,000 |
| Next €10,000 | €2 per €1,000 |
| Balance | €4 per €1,000 |
Capital means your savings, investments, stocks, shares and any property other than your own home. Your own home is never assessed. Capital belonging to a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is included.
Things people get caught by
- Always check the Contributory version first — it needs only one week of PRSI ever paid and is not means-tested.
- The means test on the Non-Contributory version looks at the child's means, not the guardian's income.
What else you might get
Payments interact. These are the ones that commonly go with Guardian's Payment.
- Child Benefit
Paid separately for the child.