Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 November 2025
605. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to confirm whether payments from catastrophic injury claims from the HSE would be included on the means test for carer’s allowance; if so, how this is calculated as per the means test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65971/25]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse / partner, property, (except their own home), or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.
There have been a number of significant improvements made to the means test for CA in recent years. As part of Budget 2026, the weekly income disregard will increase from €625 to €1,000 for a single person and from €1,250 to €2,000 for a carer with a spouse / partner. This change will apply from July 2026 and represent a 60% increase in the current CA income disregards. In addition, the amount of capital disregarded in the means test is €50,000 for a single carer and €100,000 for a carer with a spouse / partner.
Social Welfare Legislation provides for the Rules governing means assessment for CA customers and provides that all income in cash or non-cash benefits that the applicant may reasonably expect to receive shall fall for assessment, except as prescribed. Amounts to be excluded from assessment are listed and set out in the legislation. As payments from catastrophic injury claims from the HSE are not listed, they are assessable as capital.
It is open to the customer to apply for CA to ascertain their entitlement to this means tested social assistance payment. A full means breakdown is issued to the customer at that stage.
