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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Nov 1999

Vol. 509 No. 6

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Billy Timmins

Question:

465 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the amount paid for a carer's allowance; the reason it is means tested; and the plans, if any, he has for a review in this regard. [21367/99]

Liz McManus

Question:

467 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will ensure that people applying for a carer's allowance are no longer means tested in view of the great need which exists for many carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21373/99]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 465 and 467 together.

The carer's allowance is a means tested payment for carers on low income who look after people in need of full-time care and attention. The maximum rate of payment is £76.50 per week for a carer caring for one person. A carer caring for more than one person may be entitled to up to £114.80 per week. In addition, a carer in receipt of a carer's allowance is also entitled to a respite care grant of £200 every year. Qualified carers are also entitled to a free travel pass and the free telephone rental allowance.

Following a detailed examination of the Review of the Carer's Allowance, which was pub lished in October 1998, and its proposals on the improvement and development of the carer's allowance, a range of measures was introduced in the 1999 budget at an additional annual cost of over £18 million to improve and develop the position of carers.
The 1999 budget introduced some changes in the means test for carer's allowance. From August 1999, a disregard of £75 per week is applied to the income of a single carer and the current disregard of £150 per week is applied to the joint means of a married couple.
The submissions and proposals of all organisations representing carers were considered as part of the review process and are comprehensively addressed in the report. One of the major issues raised by these groups was the removal or easing of the carer's allowance means test.
The complete abolition of the means test would have substantial cost implications of over £100 million per annum in respect of the 40,000 carers providing full time care and attention.
The review of the carer's allowance examined the means test and considered that it should be maintained as a way of targeting scarce public resources towards those who are most in need. The means test applied to the carer's allowance is one of the more generous tests in terms of the assessment of household income. In this regard it should be noted that the only universal social welfare scheme is child benefit. All other schemes are based on either contribution/qualification conditions or are means tested.
The operation of the means test will be kept under review and any further improvements would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

Billy Timmins

Question:

466 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of persons on a widow or widower's pension; the current allowance; and the plans, if any, he has to increase this allowance. [21368/99]

At the end of September 1999, there were 99,256 people in receipt of a widow's/widower's contributory pension and 18,094 in receipt of a widow's/widower's non-contributory pension. The breakdown of these figures is set out in the following table.

Widow's/Widower's Contributory Pension

Females

90,429

Males

8,827

Total

99,256

Widow's/Widower's Non-Contributory Pension

Females

17,961

Males

133

Total

18,094

A further 1,556 widows and widowers were in receipt of one parent family payment of which there were 1,254 females and 302 males. There were also 649 widows/widower's in receipt of death benefit pension under the occupational injuries benefits scheme, of which 645 were female and four male. The maximum personal rates of payment are as follows:

Under 66 yrs

66 yrs and over

Widow's/Widower'sContributory Pension

£77.10

£82.10

Widow's/Widower'sNon-Contributory Pension

£73.50

£78.50

One Parent Family Payment

£73.50

£78.50

Death Benefit Pension

£95.40

£95.40

The 1999 budget provided for an increase of £6 for old age pensioners, including widows and widowers aged 66 years and over, together with an increase of £3 a week for all other social welfare recipients aged under 66 years. These improvements came into effect from the beginning of June 1999.
The question of the level of future increases to be provided, including increases for widows and widowers, is a matter to be decided in a budgetary context having regard to the available resources and in the light of the Government's other priorities.
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