Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
23. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the review carried out in his Department on the system of means tests for carer supports; if he will lay the report before the house; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46267/26]
View answerAs part of Budget 2024, an Interdepartmental Working Group was established with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to examine and review the entire system of means test for carers payments. The Group was chaired by the Department of Social Protection.
The Interdepartmental Working Group has concluded its work, and the report from the group has been submitted to me for my consideration, in line with the terms of reference.
I am currently reviewing the report in the context of the Programme for Government commitment, which is to significantly increase 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. This commitment will be advanced having regard to the prevailing policy and budgetary context.
To note that from next month the weekly income disregard will further increase from €625 to €1,000 for a single person, and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers with a spouse/partner. These are the largest ever increases in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard and will mean that even people with what are relatively high incomes will qualify for a carer’s payment for the first time.
For example, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will still retain their full carers payment and even with an income of €138,000 will retain a partial payment.
