I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 138 together.
One of the main conditions for receipt of the carer's allowance is that the person being cared for must be so invalided or disabled as to need full-time care and attention. A person is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention when s/he is so disabled or invalided that s/he requires from another person: continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him/herself; or, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with his-her normal personal needs, for example, help to walk and get about, eat or drink, wash, bathe or dress.
In addition, the care recipient must be so disabled or invalided as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months. When a care recipient takes up employment, that person is asked to submit a medical report from their doctor. This is examined by the chief medical adviser of my Department who decides if the care recipient still requires full-time care and attention. If this is the case, the carer's allowance remains in payment, subject to all other qualifying conditions for receipt of carer's allowance being fulfilled.
In addition, a carer continues to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention where the person being cared for is attending a non-residential course of rehabilitation training, or a non-residential day care centre approved by the Minister for Health and Children. The estimated full year cost of increasing the current income disregards for the carer's allowance by £100 is £18.5 million – 23.5 million – annually. This assumes an increase of £100 and £50 for a couple and a single person respectively.