Indicator 2(D): Is support available to families of people with mental disabilities? Examples include benefits, remuneration of family members for providing personal assistance, and day care
Conclusion:
There are some financial benefits available to families, and limited assistance with care, but these are insufficient and unavailable to the majority of people with mental disabilities.
Explanation:
A family member who takes care of a person with a ‘severe’ intellectual disability can receive a ‘nursing fee’.[53] People who have a family member with a less than severe intellectual disability and/or family member with mental health issues are not entitled to this financial assistance. A condition of this benefit is that the family member is limited to spend at most 5 hours per day in school, day care services or any other social care services.
In 2012, 57,973 people benefitted from the nursing fee – with the average monthly payment amounting to 30,000 HUF (approximately 95 EUR).[54] The basic amount of the benefit is 29,500 HUF (approximately 94 EUR) per month, and this can be raised to a maximum of 53,100 HUF (approximately 167 EUR) per month in cases of people with the highest support needs.[55] The amount of the nursing fee is very low and only allows the caregiver to work part-time – 4 hours a day. Exclusive reliance on the nursing fee can lead to the exclusion of the carer from the labour market, as well as the isolation of the person with an intellectual disability from the community.[56]
The minimal support provided to families can result in impoverishment of entire families who are left to choose between living extremely restricted lifestyles or taking steps to have the person with a disability placed in an institution.
[53] Ibid., at section 41.
[54] Hungarian Central Statistical Office, Table 2.4.7. Jövedelempótló szociális támogatások adatai (2000-2012) (Data regarding income replacement social care benefits), available at http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xstadat/xstadat_eves/i_fsp010b.html (last accessed: 23 September 2014).
[55] Ibid., at section 44.
[56] Tamás Verdes, Az otthoni ápolás zsákutcája (Nursing fee as a dead end), A TASZ jelenti (TASZ reports), 19 August 2014. See more on this issue at http://ataszjelenti.blog.hu/2014/08/19/mi_a_baj_az_apolasi_dijjal (last accessed: 23 September 2014).