Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 July 2024
462. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to increase the weekly carer’s allowance income disregard to €1,250 (couples) and €625 (single carers) in Budget 2025, with a similar increase in Budget 2026 with the full abolition of the means test and the introduction of a family carer payment by 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29191/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra463. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection to establish a family carer payment implementation group to oversee the development of the new payment; if she will accept that this should begin in 2024 and ensure that all practical issues regarding the implementation of the new payment for carers are addressed, including the transfer of secondary benefits (for example, carer’s GP card, carer's support grant, free travel), the full family carer payment awarded to those on half-rate carer’s allowance and legislation to protect the payment from exportability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29192/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.
The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.
The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 97,127 people receiving this payment. The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied.
It is important to note that Carer’s Allowance is a financial support to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, due to their caring responsibilities and who have no other means or resources to rely upon. Removing the means test for Carer’s Allowance in its entirety would create a new universal social protection scheme for those meeting the scheme’s basic caring condition. Carer's Allowance does not purport to be a payment for care and I do not intend to deviate from the underpinning principle of Carer’s Allowance being an income support payment. As I have stated previously the provision of a payment for care is beyond the scope of my department.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of significant improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance.
• In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
• Last month, the weekly income disregards were increased further, from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.
Since 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the income disregards of €117.50 for a single carer and €235.00 for a carer who is part of couple. These are the highest disregards in the Social Welfare system.
These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carer's Allowance system for the first time.
The current means test disregards for Carer's Allowance are the highest in the Social Welfare system.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I established an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carer's payments. This work is ongoing, and I have asked the Group to report to me on the matter in Quarter 3 of this year.
It is also important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by my department which are not based on a means assessment.
• The Carer’s Support Grant can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant to €1,850, its highest ever rate.
• Carer's Benefit is a weekly payment based on social insurance contributions rather than a means test and is payable for a period of up to 2 years.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of Budget 2024 we have increased the payment by another €10 bringing it to €340 per month.
I can assure the Deputy that I am keenly aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face, and I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by my department under review as part of the annual budgetary process.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
