I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 34, 41, 46, 50 and 300 together.
The review of the carer's allowance, published in October 1998, examined a wide range of issues including the payment of carer's allowance in conjunction with another social welfare payment. The review concluded that the allowance is an income support payment and not a payment for caring. It noted that 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 to ensure that resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one individual.
Therefore, the review concluded that two income support payments should not be made at the same time. The cost of paying carer's allowance concurrently with another social welfare payment can only be estimated on the basis of the number of claims awarded or refused where the applicant was receiving another social welfare payment. It is estimated that it would cost in the region of £36.4 million annually to pay carer's allowance with another social welfare payment to this group. There are a number of carers who did not claim a carer's allowance because they were already receiving another more beneficial payment. It is not possible to identify this group.
As regards the national carers database, I have no plans to set up such a system at present. However, some work has been done by the Central Statistics Office to identify the numbers of carers providing full-time care and attention. This was done through the census pilot survey carried out by the CSO in September 1999. It is based on a sample of 8,000 households in which persons aged 15 years or over were asked if they provided unpaid personal help for someone with a long- term illness, health problem or disability, including problems due to old age. The survey found that there are approximately 50,000 full-time carers with about 80,000 providing care on a part-time basis. These results are consistent with the conclusions of the review of the carer's allowance and explain the estimate of 120,000 carers used by the carer organisations. I have asked the Central Statistics Office to consider doing a more detailed analysis of hours spent caring when conducting the census next year.
As regards those carers who may not be in receipt of a carer's allowance to qualify for the carer's allowance, a person must be providing full-time care and attention to a person who is certified to be in need of such care. The carer's allowance is also subject to a means test. To date this year, approximately 51% of claims refused were disallowed for reasons relating to the need for or provision of care. Where applications are refused on these grounds, full-time care is either not required or is not being provided by the carer. About 8% of claims refused have been on the grounds of means and 41% of refusals have been for other miscellaneous reasons. This group includes carers who are in receipt of another more beneficial social welfare payment, 3%, carers who withdraw their application, 8%, and carers who fail to reply to requests for further information regarding their claim, 18%.
The Deputies should note that the recently published health strategy commits to developing a co-ordinated action plan to meet the needs of ageing and older people. The Departments of Health and Children, the Environment and Local Government, Public Enterprise and my own Department will be involved in this project. It also proposes a number of measures to support carers such as the appointment of key workers in the context of care planning and the introduction of a respite care grant to cover two weeks respite care per annum for dependent older persons.
I also announced a number of improvements in the recent budget. Carer's allowance rates will increase by £8.06 for carers aged under 66 and £10.03 for carers aged over 66. Carer's benefit rates will also increase by £8.01 per week to £104.51. From April 2002, the weekly income disregards in the carer's allowance means test will increase by £25.42 to £150.42 for a single person and by £50.85 to £300.84 for a couple. This increase will ensure that a couple with two children, earning a joint income in the region of £17,813, will qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance or they can earn up to £28,639 and still qualify for the minimum carer's allowance plus the free schemes and respite care grant.
It is estimated that an additional 3,400 new carers will qualify for payment as a result of the budget changes and an extra 2,300 existing carers will receive an increased payment as a result of this measure in addition to the 19,100 carers currently in receipt of carer's allowance. In addition, for the third successive year, I have made provision for the increase in the respite care grant by £100.02 to £500.10 and £1,000.21 for carers caring for more than one person.
In relation to the study to examine issues relating to long-term care, which is being carried out by Mercer Limited, I expect that this study will be published within the next few weeks. As the Deputies are aware, the study is being undertaken in consultation with the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Finance and any policy proposals arising from the report will be developed in conjunction with these Departments as part of the Government's cross-cutting approach to care issues.