Social care personal assistants in Northern Ireland are set to receive a £500 special recognition payment.
Health Minister Robin Swann announced a new online application portal has launched to enable the special recognition payments to be made.
He said: "I first developed the scheme to help acknowledge and thank our health and social care workforce for their immeasurable and vital contribution throughout the pandemic.
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"I am pleased to launch this phase of the scheme today which will enable Personal Assistants to receive the payment. Personal Assistants are a vital part of our health and social care workforce and they have our utmost gratitude.
"We have developed the online platform so that the process can be as simple, straightforward and as speedily delivered as possible for applicants."
The online portal, which will close on June 23, 2022, is the easiest and most efficient way for Personal Assistants to receive the payment. A paper based application form is also available for those who prefer and a dedicated helpline is also in place to support applicants.
The Personal Assistant workforce are employed directly by disabled people, for whom they provide vital support to enable them to live independently. To be eligible, applicants must have been employed as a Personal Assistant for a continuous four-week period between March 17, 2020, and January 31, 2021.
As with recognition payments to other health and social care workers, Personal Assistants will receive a pro rata payment of up to a maximum of £500, depending on the number of hours they work in an average week.
Mr Swann added: “I want to once again put on record my sincere appreciation for the Personal Assistant workforce and I thank them for their significant contribution during the pandemic.”
A further phase of the special recognition payments scheme will be available soon for groups not covered in earlier rounds, including:
- Individuals employed in the Independent Sector (Care Homes, Domiciliary Care and Supported Living Schemes) who have moved employers, or left the sector, between 17 March 2020 and 31st January 2021; and;
- Employees of a number of outlier organisations that were inadvertently not included from the initial Phase I criteria, specifically HSC commissioned services not regulated by the RQIA.
You can apply online via this link. A dedicated helpline is also available from 10am – 12.30pm Monday to Friday. The helpline number is: 0800 170 13 50.
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