At the outset, it is important to clarify that where a carer is providing care to more than one person, the personal rate of Carer's Allowance payable is increased by a maximum of 50% of the standard personal rate. This 50% increase is not a Half-Rate Carer’s Allowance payment, but an exceptional increase in the standard personal rate.
The Half-Rate Carer’s Allowance payment differs in that it is available to those in receipt of particular social welfare payments who are also providing full-time care and attention. In these cases, a carer may retain their main, non-care related payment, and receive another payment, depending on their means, the maximum of which is equivalent to a half-rate Carer’s Allowance.
Further to Parliamentary Question No. 233, the most recent updated figure now available of those in receipt of a state pension and a half-rate of Carer’s Allowance is 17,245. Of that cohort, there are 16,707 caring for 1 person and 538 who are caring for 2 or more people.
• The estimated annual cost of providing a state pension along with the current full-rate Carer’s Allowance to the 16,707 carers currently receiving a pension and a half rate Carer’s Allowance is €489.3 million, of which €124 million is additional cost.
• The estimated annual cost of providing a state pension along with the current full-rate Carer’s Allowance to the 538 carers currently receiving a pension and a Carer’s Allowance enhanced rate for caring for 2 or more people is €19.7 million, of which €6 million is additional cost.
These costings are based on the current rate of Carer’s Allowance of €286 for those aged 66 and over caring for 1 person, €429 for those aged 66 and over caring for 2 or more people, and the current maximum State Pension (Contributory) rate of €277.30.
It is important to note that these costings are estimates based on current administrative data. They take no account of year-on-year increases in terms of recipients or increases in rates of payment.
Any changes, such as those suggested by the Deputy, while clearly having implications for overall spending, would also likely lead to implications for the rates of other weekly social welfare payments and as such could only be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
