Financial assistance Archives - GoFundMe (IE) Just another WordPress site Tue, 02 Jun 2026 22:38:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 195691262 Fundraising for Surgery: Making Medical Care Affordable https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/surgery-assistance https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/surgery-assistance#respond Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:35:26 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=60081 It can be extremely upsetting – if not traumatic – to end up having to pay extra money for medical...

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It can be extremely upsetting – if not traumatic – to end up having to pay extra money for medical bills if you’re ill or injured. Being off kilter with sickness or injury is bad enough without worrying about making a financial shortfall, and of course if you’re not 100% well it can affect working too, which makes the situation worse.

Extra stress can be detrimental to recovery too and no one wants that. This post is here to help and advise on how medical care costs in Ireland can be made affordable. You can also crowdfund to help with your medical costs.

Government and public health assistance

If you’re in need of treatment or surgery, there may be government or public health assistance that can help you cover the costs.

Health Service Executive (HSE)

The Health Service Executive of Ireland provides community healthcare locally. This includes GPs, social care and mental health care services. You can access these health services through one of the HSE’s local health offices. You can also access services such as child health services, community welfare, chiropody and physiotherapy.

Medical card & GP visit card

If you have a medical card in Ireland, you can get certain health services free of charge. Medical cards are issued by the HSE and you must meet a certain criteria to get them. Your weekly income must be under a certain amount for your family size, for example. You can read more about medical cards here. If you don’t qualify for a medical card, you might be able to get a GP visit card which gives you free visits to the GP.

Long waiting lists

Often, another problem faced by those waiting for surgery or treatment in Ireland can be long waiting lists. The HSE has a page here where you can check them. One option to try and avoid waiting lists is to pay for private care – however, this can be expensive.

Employer-supported sick pay and benefits

The Statutory Sick Pay Scheme was introduced in Ireland back in 2022 and means that since January 1 2024, you are entitled to up to five days of paid sick leave per year. You must, however, have been working for 13 weeks with that employer to qualify for sick pay. Sick pay is 70% of your normal weekly pay, or up to €110 per day.

Private health insurance

Another option to avoid long waiting times is to claim on private health insurance. Getting private health insurance, if you can, might be a good option before you need major treatment or surgery. Often private health insurance covers inpatient care, things like private or semi private rooms in hospitals, maternity benefits or overseas benefits. Some of the most common insurers in Ireland include VHI, Laya Healthcare, Irish Life Health. It’s important to read each policy carefully before you take it out to ensure you understand exactly what is covered.

Using GoFundMe for medical crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a tool anyone can use to help with the costs associated with medical care. Crowdfunding for help with the cost of an operation has become nearly as common as some routine surgical procedures. Starting a GoFundMe fundraiser if you need help with medical costs in Ireland could help in a number of ways – for example, you could start the fundraiser for the surgery itself in a private context or to help you with the financial strains as you recover. 

Crowdfunding can be particularly effective in the case of an emergency operation. If you or a loved one has to have emergency surgery, you may not have much time to organise your finances – but you can raise money quickly with medical fundraising. Use our Medical Crowdfunding Guide to learn about raising funds for operations and other medical expenses.

Remember, when you start your GoFundMe there will be plenty of people out there wanting to help. Make sure you update them every step of the way and share your fundraiser.

Get help with paying for your surgery today

The stress from illness is something no one needs when it comes to recovering. Starting a GoFundMe for your medical funds can help to alleviate some of that burden and ensure a speedier recovery.

There are plenty of options in Ireland to help – make sure you’re actively exploring things like medical cards and the best insurance deals too so you’re not missing out. 

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Options for funding IVF in Ireland https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/funding-ivf-ireland https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/funding-ivf-ireland#respond Fri, 30 Aug 2024 16:39:42 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=59870 The decision to have IVF is one which takes a lot of emotional – and often financial – investment. IVF...

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The decision to have IVF is one which takes a lot of emotional – and often financial – investment. IVF in Ireland can be available on the HSE, but there are certain conditions as to who and how you can access this. But there are also other ways that you can fund IVF treatment – including by crowdfunding. Here we take a look at the different options available.

Is IVF free in Ireland?

Under certain circumstances, you may be able to get IVF or specialist fertility treatment on HSE in Ireland. To get free IVF, ICSI and IUI treatment through the HSE, you’d need:

  • A GP or consultant to refer you to a fertility hub: for this, you must either be struggling to get pregnant or have a known fertility problem. You must also have a BMI of between 18.5-35 and be under 42 for women or 59 for men.
  • To meet the access criteria for free IVF: This includes residency, age, children, number of parents, relationship length, sterilization, previous IVF, BMI and lifestyle.
  • Your specialist to decide you need this treatment: The specialist at the clinic will then decide if this treatment is appropriate and suitable for you. 

Typical costs of IVF

If paying for IVF or fertility treatment is a route you’d like to go down, you could expect to pay on average €4,000-€5,000 per round – but also costs could go up to €10k.

It’s important to account for:

  • Fertility testing: Before going ahead with IVF, it’s important that both parties have fertility testing. You should take this cost into account when budgeting for IVF. Fertility tests can cost between €100 and €400 depending on what you need to get.
  • Egg freezing: An egg freezing cycle can cost up to €3000, two cycles can cost €5,500 and it will also cost more if the eggs need to be stored.

IVF grants in Ireland

If you’re looking for fertility treatment in Ireland, the Merrion Fertility Foundation was founded back in 2011 to provide assistance to those who need it. All patients attending fertility clinics at the Merrion Foundation or at the National Maternity Hospital are eligible to apply. You can view more information here.

Can crowdfunding support IVF treatment?

Another alternative if you need IVF would be to explore crowdfunding to help to pay for it. Plenty of people use GoFundMe to pay for their treatment. Because GoFundMe is a custom built crowdfunding platform, you can personalise your fundraising page with a story and pictures, which may help to articulate exactly why you’re fundraising for IVF or fertility treatment. It’s easy to circulate the GoFundMe link and people can donate when they can in a fast, safe way. 

You can read more about fundraising for IVF treatment here. 

Learn more about IVF fundraising

Fundraising for IVF – top tips

Here are a few top tips when it comes to fundraising for IVF treatment.

Detail your situation

On your fundraiser story, go into as much detail as you feel comfortable with about why you’re fundraising for IVF and what each donation means to you.

Include fundraising goals & treatment costs

Include treatment costs and your fundraising goal on your GoFundMe page – it shows that you’ve researched and are serious about fundraising for IVF. 

Share amongst friends & family

Once you’ve started your GoFundMe, circulate the link around your family and friends. Share on any email lists, group chats, on your social media pages… 

How to create your fundraiser

So if you’ve decided that fundraising for IVF treatment is the route you want to go down, it couldn’t be easier to get started with GoFundMe. It’s free, easy and safe to start a GoFundMe – so get on your fundraising journey today. All you need to do is:

  • Set up your fundraising page, write your fundraising story.
  • Add relevant pictures and video 
  • Think of a fundraising goal or target
  • Get sharing!

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Need Emergency Financial Assistance? These Resources Can Help https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/emergency-financial-assistance https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/emergency-financial-assistance#respond Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:40:17 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=57116 You wouldn’t be alone if you’ve ever found yourself worrying about how to get help with bills or other emergency...

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You wouldn’t be alone if you’ve ever found yourself worrying about how to get help with bills or other emergency expenses that pop up out of the blue. Cost of living is affecting us all. According to this Independent article, one in four Irish households are behind on their gas bill. 

We understand how difficult it can be to get help with finances, but know there is hope. There are resources available to you if you need emergency financial assistance and aren’t sure how to get rid of debt. Learn more about the ways you can find your way back from a personal financial crisis through government assistance, nonprofit programs, and online fundraising, we can help with the latter.

Start a fundraiser

What to do when a financial crisis strikes

During a financial crisis, reviewing your financial help options is important to avoid the pitfalls of credit card billing, predatory lenders, and other harmful debt relief solutions. Follow these tips:

Stay calm:  Easier said than done, but try to overcome feelings of panic and hopelessness and list ways to find emergency cash assistance through legitimate avenues. Panicking only makes you think less clearly, and then you are less likely to identify and land on the best option to help you out.

Know your priorities: Reassess your budget and prioritise your spending. Look for ways to cut non-essential expenses to an absolute minimum.

Ask for help: Seek advice from friends and family you trust and ask how to get financial help for your situation. They can offer a few ways to get emergency financial assistance. A problem shared is a problem halves, and you never know, they could offer you a new perspective that you hadn’t thought of yet.

Programs that provide emergency financial assistance

Even with a new budget and a renewed focus, a financial emergency can still make it incredibly difficult to pay monthly bills and stay out of debt. If you’re still struggling to pay for expensive medical treatments, cope with unpaid maternity leave, or deal with any other unexpected costs, there are public and private programs that can help you regain your footing.

 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme

The Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme is like an extra safety net in the Irish welfare system. It helps to further provide assistance to those in the welfare system who need it to support themselves or their dependents.

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly sum which is paid to those who need help or don’t have enough income to meet their needs. You may be eligible for the Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance if you have no income or if your income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family. It is assessed on a means assessment, you must live in the state to be eligible and you must have registered for work.

Additional Needs Payments 

An Additional Needs payment is there to support if you have an outgoing which you can’t afford from your weekly income or other personal resources. Even if you’re not getting a social welfare payment, you may be able to get an additional needs payment for things like:

  • Heating and electricity bills
  • Essential repairs to property
  • Assistance with deposits
  • Furniture and other items to set up a home
  • Child related costs
  • Immediate assistance for things like food

Rent Supplement

Rent Supplement is a payment that can be provided to those who are living in private rental accommodation but cannot afford the rent. The sum provided is determined by a number of different factors including how much your rent is and how much you are earning. A single person’s weekly minimum is around €30, where a couple could get €40 as a minimum. 

Student Assistance Fund (SAF)                                                                                         

The Student Assistance exists to help out students experiencing financial difficulting in Ireland. The SAF provides financial aid for living costs, books and various other expenses. Eligibility for the program can differ based on institution.

Community Welfare Service                                                                                            

The Community Welfare Service offers discretionary payments to individuals that are in exceptional financial need. This payment can be assistance for expenses such as rent, utility bills and other essentials. Support is distributed on a case by case basis.

Charities that provide financial assistance 

There are also numerous charity programs and grants that aim to help people with everything from food and housing to childcare.

Charity food assistance programs

  • Crosscare Ireland is a charity dedicated to providing solutions to those experiencing food poverty. They also have a cafe serving healthy, affordable and accessible food in Dublin. 
  • Dublin Simon Community is a foodbank which provides 1,000 meals a day to those who need them across Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth and Cavan.
  • COPE Galway also provides foodstuffs to families and individuals who are in urgent need of it through the EU-wide FEAD programme, which aims to pull people out of food poverty in a sustainable way.
  • FoodCare is a social enterprise that redistributes excess food from businesses and food vendors to charities and community groups across Ireland. This is a great cause as it helps address food waste, and also good inequality. 
  •  

Nonprofit help with utilities

If you need extra help with utilities, there are charities like Society of St Vincent de Paul which can help. The SVP saw a 40% increase in people asking for help with energy bills in 2022 – plus a 20% increase in requests for help overall, which indicates that more people are struggling with the cost of living. If you’re struggling with energy bills, you can email SVP and ask for help – they consider each on a case by case basis. 

Charity housing assistance for mortgage and rent costs

If you’re struggling with mortgage or rent costs, there are also places you can go to ask for help. Citizens Advice is a good place to start if you’re concerned about rent costs rising in an unaffordable way, for example. We’ve got a full blog post here on getting help with rent and housing costs to help.

 If you need financial relief, crowdfunding can help

Countless people who need help in an emergency have turned to crowdfunding to help. It’s free to set up a GoFundMe page and is a safe, secure and easy way to ask for help – which many people will want to give. You can start a GoFundMe for almost any reason and raise any amount, with the option to be flexible with your target should you meet it. 

It’s easy to start a GoFundMe, you just need to consider your fundraising title, choose a picture to help to illustrate your plight and tell your story. 

Rest assured, emergency fundraising for housing costs, utilities, medical bills, and everything in between is easy with GoFundMe. We offer a simple set-up process, 24/7 customer support, and a blog full of fundraising tips and ideas, like how to share offline through texting or WhatsApp.

It’s completely understandable to feel a sense of unease when reaching out for assistance during a financial crisis. However, it’s important to remember that those closest to you genuinely care about your well-being and want to see you succeed. Accepting help from those who love you can make all the difference in getting through this challenging time.

Get financial help now

When you’re unsure how to apply for emergency financial help and feel like you’ve reached a roadblock, GoFundMe is here for you. If you haven’t already, start a fundraiser and get support from the community around you to overcome this crisis.

Start a fundraiser

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How to raise money to support a family in need https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/how-to-raise-money-to-support-a-family-in-need https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/how-to-raise-money-to-support-a-family-in-need#respond Mon, 04 Mar 2024 12:44:56 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=59353 When a family you know is struggling, it’s natural to want to lend a hand. Maybe the family needs help...

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When a family you know is struggling, it’s natural to want to lend a hand. Maybe the family needs help as they deal with an illness or death, or perhaps a parent is struggling with unemployment. If you aren’t exactly sure how to raise money to support families in need, crowdfunding empowers you to make a difference in a low-pressure way.

7 fundraising tips on how to help a family in need

Wondering how to give to a family in need? With the tips below, you can learn how to create a fundraiser that will meet your goals.

1. Speak to the family directly

Reach out to the family you’d like to help and ask how they’re coping with their situation. If they talk about particular challenges, respectfully ask about how financial support could help ease their burden.

You can direct them to government advice about financial support too. There’s several ways they could get support from the government, depending on their criteria and circumstances. 

Single parents can also get support from government sources, which could be valuable. 

Ask if the family is comfortable with you crowdfunding on their behalf. You’ll need to tell potential donors why their contributions are vital to this family, so you’ll need to understand exactly how the funds will be used by the family. Then you’ll be able to explain how and why the support will make a difference when it comes time to write your fundraiser story. Take a cue from public radio stations, which do a great job of answering the “why” in their fundraising drives. Why is this fundraiser needed? What could happen if people don’t contribute?

Here are a few examples of people fundraising to provide financial support for families:

 2. Give your fundraiser a title that inspires action

Your fundraiser title is your first chance to introduce people to the family you’re helping. Include the last name of the family in the title to make it unique. Additionally, consider including the word “family” and a modifier word that helps explain the situation or type of help needed. For example, “Help the Ford Family Fight Cancer.”

Try creating a fundraiser title that’s simple, draws interest, and inspires people to take action. Find more fundraising tips in our post about crafting a fundraiser title.

3. Write a compelling fundraiser story

Your fundraiser story is your opportunity to introduce the family to potential donors. This is also the time to explain how their financial support would make a difference. Some tips to keep in mind:

  • Explain your relationship to the family, so there’s no confusion among donors about why you’re managing the fundraiser.
  • It may not always be clear to others how to help a family in crisis. Aside from monetary donations, are there other ways people can contribute? List those, too. 
  • Provide a breakdown of how donations will be used. People will be more likely to donate when they understand how the funds will help.
  • Your fundraiser description length influences donations, so be sure to write more than 400 words.
  • Don’t forget to ask the family for feedback on your story before sharing it.

See our post with tips for writing your fundraiser story for more pointers.

4. Add photos and/or videos

Everyone loves a good story—and every good story needs captivating images and videos to be complete. Photos and videos that make an emotional impact help donors connect with a family and its needs and offer more clarity on their situation. Ask the family if they are comfortable with you sharing a few photos to help add a visual element to their fundraiser story.

For more information on adding visual content to your fundraiser, read our posts with fundraising tips for using an image and video:

5. Reach out to close friends and family first

The first few days are critical and can greatly influence how successful your fundraiser will be in the long run. First, share your fundraiser with a few close friends and ask for their feedback. Since people are more likely to donate to a fundraiser if they see others have already donated, it’s a good idea to secure a few solid donations before blasting the fundraiser over social media.

Another way to bring in donations right off the bat is to send a personal fundraising letter to those closest to the family. If you need some help coming up with the right words, take advantage of fundraising email templates.

6. Create a plan to share your fundraiser

Sharing your fundraiser again and again is a huge part of any fundraising plan. Once you’ve gained some initial momentum, you’ll want to share your fundraiser with everyone you know.

  • Spread the word on any social media platform where you’re active, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  • Regularly post messages that invite others to donate to the family.
  • Always include your fundraiser link, and ask people to share it with their contacts as well.
  • If any friends on social media donated, “tag” them in a thank-you post to publicly show your gratitude. 

To learn more about the best ways to share your cause, read our post that has fundraising tips for social media. To get more information on how to use specific social media platforms, read our posts about Facebook fundraising and Twitter fundraising.

7. Throw a fun and effective fundraising event

When it comes to fundraising without social media, a fundraising event is a fantastic way to spread awareness for your cause.  From sports events to car washes, there are countless fundraising event ideas to rally the community together for the family in need.

Start helping families in need today

All it takes to touch someone’s life is for one individual to step up and take action. Thankfully, making a difference by helping families doesn’t require hours of work or elaborate plans. There are ways to help families in need through crowdfunding. You can create a fundraiser on GoFundMe within minutes and begin raising money for a family in need right away. With our fundraising platform, the family you’re helping can keep even more of their donations, and you can even have the money sent directly to them. Sign up today to get started.Know a family in need and want a way to support them? Crowdfunding is a quick and easy way to make an impact. Check out our tips to help you get started.

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How to Set Up a Honeymoon Fund: The Ultimate Guide for Newlyweds https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/honeymoon-fund https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/honeymoon-fund#respond Fri, 01 Mar 2024 13:13:43 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=59344 Weddings can be an expensive and sometimes stressful time for couples – despite all the excitement about married life. Many...

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Weddings can be an expensive and sometimes stressful time for couples – despite all the excitement about married life. Many people choose to head off a honeymoon and this can be of large additional expense.

Many couples now choose to ask for contributions towards this special trip instead. Setting up a crowdfunding page so that all your donations are in one place is an easy way to facilitate this. This quick guide will explain how you can do this.

Understanding Honeymoon Funds

What is a Honeymoon fund?

Whether it’s a staycation, that backpacking adventure or a luxury hotel, all honeymoons come at costs. Some couples choose to ask for contributions to their honeymoon fund instead of physical gifts – this might be to contribute to the logistical costs like flights and accommodation or for some spending money when there. Starting a GoFundMe means that the link can be easily circulated amongst friends and family and they can donate at their leisure.

Benefits of a Honeymoon Fund

Traditionally, weddings would be a time where gifts could be given to help the new couple set up a life together. The need for this has waned over years as more people live together before marriage. By having a honeymoon fund, it means you take pressure off people attending your wedding trying to choose a physical gift that you might like –  and it also means you don’t get duplicates. People know that their gift will go towards a brilliant experience and also that it’s something you definitely want. Setting up a GoFundMe for the fund also means that you have an easy link which people can follow and donate to at their convenience.

Honeymoon Fund Etiquette

If you do choose to start a honeymoon fund, there are things you can do to show people you appreciate their contribution. Make sure to thank your donors through GoFundMe but also send them a text or email when you see that they’ve contributed. Send cards after the wedding and update the fund page with how the trip is going or what you’ve used their contribution on. You can also use pictures and even video to keep telling the story here.

Choosing the Right Platform for Your Honeymoon Fund

So, you’ve decided to set up a fund to get that dream romantic trip off the ground. So what platform should you use?

Criteria for Selecting a Platform

When choosing the platform you want for your honeymoon fund, there’s a range of things to consider. It’s important to look at the user experience and how easy it is to manage the fund once you’ve set it up – does the website and app seem intuitive to you? Can you easily post updates, thank yous and share the links to social media? All of these things are easily ingrained in the process at GoFundMe and you can easily explore your options on the app or on the browser version of the site. It’s also easy to donate anonymously –  no names have to appear publicly. 

 And another thing to consider is platform fees. Take some time to explore your options before choosing which you’d like to go with.

Setting Up Your Honeymoon Fund

After you’ve chosen your honeymoon fund platform, it’s time to get it set up. If you choose GoFundMe, it couldn’t be easier to start your fundraiser. Think about what you’d like your fundraiser title to be – something that is snappy and easily conveys what this fund is for. You can upload an engaging picture or even video to your page as well to help tell the story – one of you and your spouse-to-be might be appropriate. Start your fundraiser and get sharing!

Personalising Your Honeymoon Fund

An important part of any crowdfunding success is to really personalise the page and tell a story. Include some detail in your fundraiser story of how you and your partner met and how you decided that this honeymoon destination was going to be the one of choice – maybe it’s somewhere you always wanted to go or holds happy memories for you both. Set some clear goals in there about where you want to go and what you want to do, plus what the donations will be used for. If you don’t have clear goals on what you’re going to use your honeymoon fund for then make that clear  – a goal can be to decide on your adventure when those who want to contribute have! Keep posting updates when you hit certain milestones; this could be enough for flights or a hotel, or a certain number of days before the wedding / honeymoon itself. Really try and get your own voice in there.

Tips for a Successful Honeymoon Fund

Communicating About Your Fund

It’s important to share and circulate your fundraiser when it has been started, but also make it clear that no one is under any kind of obligation or pressure to donate and any contribution is options and appreciated. Any emails or social media posts sharing your fundraiser could make this clear so that no one feels pressure to give money. You can have a look at our top tips on sharing your fundraiser here.

Suggested Contribution Levels

An easy way that you can make people feel like their donations will be really appreciated is setting up contribution levels and passing those on, too. You can start as small as you wish, letting people know that their £10 will go towards a nice drink or a meal at your destination, right up to where you feel comfortable and what it will get. These don’t have to be contributions by one person either – you could make it clear that when the fundraiser reaches £100 for example overall it will pay for your first meal together on the honeymoon, for example. When you reach these milestones make sure to thank your donors, too.

Saying thank you

With any kind of fundraising, thank yous are very important and perhaps even more so when you’re crowdfunding for a personal cause. There are various ways you can thank your donors after a contribution on GoFundMe. You can send thanks to them via the platform, but it also might be nice to send a personalised email or even text message to really show you’re appreciative too. After the event sending thank you cards is always a nice touch, especially if you can tell your kind donors what you used their contributions for.

Leveraging Your Honeymoon Fund Contributions

Budgeting for Your Honeymoon

There are several ways you might use a honeymoon fund to budget for a honeymoon and manage your honeymoon contributions. You might want to wait and see how much you get before deciding and booking what is in your budget, or you might already have somewhere booked and in mind before you open one and are using donations to bolster the lovely experience. Whether it’s the former or the latter, think about how you want to use these funds on your honeymoon. Think about how much you’ll realistically need for flights, accommodation and then spending money whilst you’re there when setting your goal if it’s more the former. And for the latter think about what special experiences you’d like to prioritise and have a ball park figure for how much that will cost. 

So, What are you waiting for?

Setting up a honeymoon fund is an easy and modern way for your loved ones to really give you a gift that will be well utilised and appreciated. It means that people can donate what they wish as soon as you start the fund – it doesn’t have to be at the wedding.  Start your GoFundMe today and get going for your dream trip.

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Getting Financial Support For People With Disabilities https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/financial-support-people-with-disabilities https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/blog/financial-support-people-with-disabilities#respond Mon, 26 Feb 2024 09:35:04 +0000 https://www.gofundme.com/en-ie/c/?p=59338 If you or a loved one has a disability, you’ll understand the ongoing need for financial support. We have a...

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If you or a loved one has a disability, you’ll understand the ongoing need for financial support. We have a world class medical system, but out of pocket or gap expenses can add up. Then there are the extras such as therapy and specialist aids to enhance quality of life.

We’ve outlined the options available and guidance on how to seek financial assistance for people with disabilities in Ireland.

Government support for disabled people

Our government pensions and schemes aim to provide a wide variety of financial support for people with disabilities.

Disability Allowance

Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a disability. You can get DA from 16 years of age.

If you qualify for DA, you may also get extra social welfare benefits with your payment and other supplementary welfare payments.

To qualify for a DA a medical test is required. It is also means tested, so things like your income will be factored in.

Invalidity Pension

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by social insurance (PRSI).

To qualify for Invalidity Pension you must meet both:

  • Social Insurance (PRSI) rules – see below
  • Medical rules – see below

Social insurance (PRSI) rules:

Only PRSI contributions at Class A, E, H and S count for an Invalidity Pension. Most employees are covered by Class A.

You must also have a certain number of PRSI contributions to get an Invalidity Pension.

Blind Pension

Blind Pension is also available to people who qualify. 

The Blind Pension is a means-tested payment paid to people who are blind or have low vision and who are habitually resident in Ireland. The payment is made by the Department of Social Protection.

The payment is made up of a personal rate for you and extra amounts for a qualified adult and any child dependants (see ‘Rate of Blind Pension’ below). If you get a Blind Pension, you may also qualify for the Blind Welfare Allowance paid by the HSE.

Blind Welfare Allowance

A Blind Welfare Allowance is also available and on offer. 

You may qualify for Blind Welfare Allowance if any of the following apply to you:

  • You are getting Blind Pension from the Department of Social Protection (DSP)
  • You have a certificate of visual impairment from an ophthalmologist and you are getting an income maintenance payment from the DSP, or an equivalent type social security payment from another country
  • You have an income below the combined Blind Pension rate and Blind Welfare Allowance rate (below) and have a certificate of visual impairment from an ophthalmic surgeon

Supplementary Welfare Allowance

There is help available for other costs you may incur through the Supplementary Welfare Allowance. 

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people who do not have enough income to meet their needs or the needs of their family.

This is on offer to people who have no income. 

If your weekly income is below the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family size, a payment may be made to bring your income up to the Supplementary Welfare Allowance rate for your family.

Housing Supplement 

If you have special dietary and heating needs you may be able to get additional weekly supplements under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

You must satisfy the specific requirements for each supplement. 

Each supplement falls into the following categories, and there are qualifications for each: 

Diet Supplement 

  • Heating Supplement
  • Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement
  • Child Diet Supplement

Long Term Illness Scheme 

If you have a medical condition covered by the Long-Term Illness Scheme, you can get free drugs, medicines and medical and surgical appliances for the treatment of that condition.

You must be ordinarily resident in Ireland to qualify. This means that you are living here and intend to live here for at least one year. Students from outside the EU do not qualify for the Long-Term Illness Scheme.

The Long-Term Illness Scheme does not depend on your income or other circumstances. You may also be eligible for a Medical card or GP visit card, depending on your circumstances.

Other financial support for people with disabilities

In addition to government assistance, many people with disabilities rely on other forms of financial support to meet all their goals, like personal fundraising. Whether it’s a one-off fundraiser or ongoing support from benefactors, there are many ways to fundraise to provide financial support for someone with a disability.

Create your own disability fundraiser

If you are fundraising for something in particular, you could set up a community event like a bake sale or trivia night. It’s a great way to get friends and family involved in raising money for something important. It also helps get you involved in the community and show your face to a worthwhile cause. Offline fundraising works particularly well if there is a specific need in mind such as a new wheelchair or therapy. If people know what they’re supporting, they’re more likely to go out of their way to help.

You can support your offline fundraising with an online fundraiser that’s easy to share with your network. Fundraising platforms like GoFundMe are a reliable and safe way to get donations. You can easily share the fundraiser on social media, email or messenger apps and funds are sent directly to your cause.

Get help setting up your crowdfunding page

Crowdfunding is one of the easiest and most effective ways to get financial help for disabled people. It’s easy with GoFundMe – simply sign up and share your story. It’s always more effective if you ask for what you need rather than a vague fundraising goal. Break down the costs and share with people how their money will help your quality of life or treatment. Setting smaller, more realistic goals is one way you can get to your fundraising goal much faster. By sharing as much as you can through photos and stories, people will be captivated by your story and will be more likely to donate money to your fundraiser. We’ve even collated a tonne of fundraising tips online for those in need of support or inspiration.

Start fundraising for people with disabilities

No matter what your fundraising goal is, all fundraising support for people with disabilities can make a difference. Set up your GoFundMe today and find out how easy it can be.

The post Getting Financial Support For People With Disabilities appeared first on GoFundMe (IE).

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