Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
713. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason recipients, despite being required to provide at least 35 hours of care per week over five to seven days subject to DSP assessment, receive a payment that is significantly below the minimum wage for an equivalent number of hours (details supplied); if he will consider reviewing the hourly payment level of carer’s allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14614/26]
View answerCarer’s Allowance is the main income-support scheme for carers, with expenditure in 2026 expected to exceed €1.4 billion. Its primary purpose is to support people whose capacity to work is significantly reduced due to their caring responsibilities. Carer’s Allowance is means-tested, does not require social insurance contributions, and is designed to target support to those most in need. It is an income-support payment and not a payment for caring.
Carer's Allowance is a payment is for people who are providing full time care to people who are in need of such care. It is an income support payment. It is not, and was never intended to be, a payment for caring. In order to satisfy the full time care requirement a person must be providing care for at least 35 hours per week. However, that is not to suggest that the payment is paid at an hourly rate - it is not. It is a weekly income support payment like many others and not a wage and so it is not appropriate to compare the rate of payment with the National Minimum Wage.
Supports for carers have been improved over recent years through increasing payment rates and widening eligibility to payments through, for example, increasing income disregards in the case of Carer's Allowance and making Carer's Benefit available to the self-employed.
As a result of Budget 2026 measures, the personal rate of payment for a carer under aged 66 and caring for one person is €270. For those aged 66 or over caring for one person the maximum personal rate is now €308 per week. These rates are higher than other weekly social welfare payments.
People in receipt of Carer's Allowance may also qualify for other supports from my Department. The annual Carer's Support Grant is paid for each person being cared for. The grant has increased to €2,000 and is issued in June.
The Household Benefits Package is available to help people with the cost of electricity or gas bills and the TV licence. It is available to everyone over 70 and to carers under 70 who are getting Carer’s Allowance, at either full rate or half-rate. Carer’s Allowance became a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance from January 2025. The other qualifying conditions for Fuel Allowance must also be satisfied.
The Programme for Government commits to progressively increasing weekly carer’s payments, continuing to increase the annual Carer’s Support Grant, and significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance with a view to phasing out the means test over the lifetime of the Government, subject to available resources.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
