Pa Daly
Question:556. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposed timeframe for abolishing the means test for carer's allowance applications. [73843/25]
View answerThursday, 18 December 2025
Questions (556)
Written answers
The Programme for Government clearly sets out a timeframe which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government.
Phasing out the means test is a major change to the Carer's Allowance and to the Irish social welfare system generally. It is important that we make progress in a way that is sustainable, and which does not unduly limit our scope to support other vulnerable groups.
This process is well underway. The latest change was in July this year when the amount of weekly earnings disregarded was increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple.
In October, as part of Budget 2026, I announced further improvements to the Carer’s Allowance means test that will be introduced next year. For carers who work outside the home, the weekly income disregard will increase by 60% from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of couple.
Since June 2022, this will bring cumulative increases to the disregards to €667.50 for a single carer and to €1,335 for a carer who is part of couple, or an increase of just over 200%.
The latest changes are evidence of the Government’s determination to deliver on its commitment to eliminate the means test over our term. We will continue to do so in a progressive manner, in light of the prevailing budgetary conditions.
I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.