Tax-free payment of €100,000 available to families of healthcare workers who died from Covid

All healthcare workers deemed "essential" during the first phases of the pandemic are eligible.

The Government has announced plans to give €100,000 to the estate of any healthcare worker who died after contracting Covid in the course of their work. Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly announced the Death in Service Ex-Gratia Scheme on Tuesday (13 September). The payment is tax-free, and all healthcare workers deemed "essential" during the first phases of the pandemic are eligible. This includes GPs and others working in primary care, including administrative staff. Here is the full list of estates of workers that are eligible for the payment:

• Workers in hospital services.
• Therapy services provided by a member of a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005).
• Workers in services relating to public health, including testing people with Covid and track-and-trace.
• Laboratory services.
• Drug treatment and addiction services.
• Hospice services.
• Pharmacy services.
• Primary care and general and specialist medical practice activities.
• Dental services.
• Blood donation and related services.
• Tissue or organ donation and related services.
• Residential care services (including nursing care, mental health and substance abuse services, services for elderly persons and persons with disabilities) and children’s residential services.
• Homecare, home help and other health services in the community.
• Social work and social care services, (including disability services, mental health services, child protection and welfare services, domestic, sexual and gender-based violence services) and homeless services including homeless outreach services.
• Paramedical, ambulance and pre-hospital care services.
• Services provided by minor injury units.
• Maternity services.
• Food safety and environmental services.

"Today is an important day and offers another means for us as a country to recognise the significant contribution our healthcare workers made to Ireland’s response to Covid," said Stephen Donnelly. "Since March 2020, we have asked them to assume an unknown level of risk in their work, and, unfortunately, many healthcare workers contracted Covid in work and a small number sadly passed away. “Myself and my colleagues in Government are aware of tragic cases where families have been left without income at a time of extraordinary grief. This payment offers some support from the state to provide for the family’s needs, while also serving as a real acknowledgement of the debt of gratitude all of us across the country feel to the extraordinary sacrifices of their loved ones." Some estates may receive the €100,000 payment before the end of the year, but the majority of payments are expected to be made in 2023. Applications for the scheme can be made via the Pobal website.