Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Richard Bruton
Question:
249
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that women who have been forced to become carers and claim a carer's allowance received a smaller increase in budget 2001 than was provided to an adult dependent on a contributory old age pensioner's claim; if he will make arrangements to correct this anomaly; and if a contributory old age pensioner whose spouse is claiming a carer's allowance will qualify for the fuel scheme if they have £40 per week additional income from a private pension.
[8939/01]
Budget 2001 provided an increase of £8 in the weekly rate of carer's allowance for those recipients aged under 66 years, bringing their rate to £88.50 with effect from April 2001. A similar increase of £8 was awarded to qualified adults under 66 years of old age contributory pensioners, bringing their weekly rate to £68.20.
Recipients of carer's allowance aged 66 years and over will receive an increase of £10, bringing their weekly rate to £98.50. However, in the case of qualified adults aged 66 years and over of old age contributory pensioners, a special increase of £15 per week is being awarded, bringing their rate of payment to £79.60. This special increase is in line with the commitment given in budget 2001 to progressively increase the qualified adults allowance for qualified adults over 66 years to the personal rate of old age non-contributory pension.
Following the implementation of the budget increases in April, the rate of carer's allowance will continue to exceed the rate of qualified adults allowance paid to an old age contributory pensioner by £20.30 a week in the case of a carer under 66 years and by £18.90 a week in the case of a carer aged 66 years and over. On completion of the process of progressively increasing the qualified adults allowance for qualified adults over 66 years to the personal rate of old age non-contributory pension, the carer's allowance payable to carers aged 66 years and over will still continue to be ahead of the increased level of qualified adults allowance payable to an old age contributory pensioner.
In addition to the weekly rates increases for carers, I also provided for a number of other significant improvements for carers in the last budget, including substantial increases in the income disregards from £75 to £125 for a single person and from £150 to £250 for a couple; a £100 increase in the respite care grant; and a double respite care grant for a carer looking after two or more people. The many measures I introduced for carers clearly indicate my personal commitment and that of the Government to carers and are a concrete expression of our appreciation for their valuable role in our society.
Regarding the national fuel scheme, one of the conditions is that applicants must live alone, or with qualified dependants, a carer, a person in receipt of short-term unemployment assistance payments or a person who qualifies for a fuel allowance in their own right. In addition, to be eligible for assistance under the national fuel scheme, the person must satisfy a means test. For the purpose of the means test, the weekly income limit is set at the maximum rate of old age contributory pension payable in the family circumstances plus £30. The additional weekly income limit of £30 will be increased to £40 with effect from October 2001.
In the case outlined by the Deputy where the pensioner is in receipt of the old age contributory pension and their spouse is in receipt of a carer's allowance, the additional £40 per week private pension income would put the combined household income above the prescribed income limit and hence the fuel allowance would not be payable in this case. This will continue to be the case when the weekly income limit is increased in October unless there is any change in the couple's circumstances.
