Vol. 510 No. 6
326 Mr. Kirk asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if the next budget will take account of the special needs of older people living alone dependent on a social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23197/99]
In the review of our action programme, just published, the Government has reaffirmed its commitment to caring for our older people by advancing the goal of bringing the old age (contributory) pension to £100 and by extending the £100 commitment to all social welfare old age pensioners by 2002. In addition, over the lifetime of the Government all social welfare pensions will be increased in line with increases in average earnings.
In this respect, the £11 per week increase in the personal pension rate over the last two budgets has significantly progressed the achievement of this commitment.
The question of specific improvements in the next budget is currently under consideration.
327 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to a survivor's contributory pension in conjunction with her carer's allowance. [23201/99]
The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual.
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. A substantial package of improvements in the carer's allowance was provided for in the 1999 budget at an additional annual cost of over £18 million to improve and develop the position of carers. These measures were implemented between April and August this year.
The provision in the Estimates for expenditure on carer's allowance in 1999 is almost £60 million which represents a 33 per cent increase on expenditure over 1998. At the end of October 1999, there were 13,853 carers in receipt of the carer's allowance compared with 11,234 carers in receipt of the allowance at the same time last year. The review of the carer's allowance examined the issue of paying the carer's allowance in conjunction with another social welfare payment. As indicated, the practice of paying only one allowance is a feature, with very few exceptions, of all social welfare payments and is designed to ensure that limited resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one individual. The review concluded that this practice should continue.
