Healthcare for children

You can claim relief for additional health expenses if the healthcare is for a qualifying child (under 18 years of age/or a child over 18 years in full-time education):

Educational psychologists and speech and language therapy

Relief can be claimed on the cost associated with an assessment being carried out by an educational psychologist. You can also claim relief on the cost of speech and language therapy for a child. The therapy must be carried out by a qualified speech and language therapist.

Life-threatening illness or permanent disability

If your child has a life-threatening illness or a permanent disability you can claim additional relief.

To qualify, the child must require constant or regular hospital care. This care can be regular hospital attendance or other supervision appropriate to serious illness or disability. Your child doesn’t need to be permanently in the hospital for you to claim relief. It’s important to note that you can’t claim relief on childcare costs for the siblings of the patient while the parents or guardians attend the hospital.

Child oncology patients and children with permanent disabilities

If your child is receiving treatment for cancer (child oncology patients) or has a permanent disability, you can claim tax relief on the following as health expenses:

Telephone

Where a child oncology patient or a child with a permanent disability is being treated at home, you can claim a flat rate payment to cover telephone rental and calls where those expenses are incurred for purposes directly connected with the treatment of the child. The flat rate for telephone expenses is currently €370.

Overnight accommodation

Tax relief is allowable for parents or guardians of child oncology patients and children with permanent disabilities where the child is required to stay overnight in a hospital as part of their treatment and the parent or guardian is required to stay nearby. Relief is allowable on payments made to the hospital and/or hotel or bed-and-breakfast near the hospital for accommodation

Travel - The cost of travelling (unlimited journeys) to and from any hospital in respect of:

  • patient and accompanying parents or guardians 
  • parents or guardians of the patient
Only where the trips are shown to be essential to the treatment of the child. There’s also a mileage allowance if you use a private car.

Hygiene products and special clothing

You can claim relief on hygiene products or special clothing (up to a maximum of €500) if they’re necessary for treatment.



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