Fergus O'Dowd
Question:247. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene in the case of a person (detail supplied) who has had a carer's allowance withdrawn. [31637/17]
View answerWednesday, 5 July 2017
Questions (247)
Written answers
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a statutory, means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.
Social welfare relevant legislation provides for the continuation of payment of the allowance for up to thirteen weeks in the event that the person being cared for or the carer themselves is hospitalised.
The person is in receipt of a social welfare payment and is also in receipt of reduced rate CA since 18 July 2002 in respect of her daughter. As her daughter has been an inpatient in Children’s University Hospital, Dublin, since 30 March 2017, carer’s allowance is no longer payable with effect from 5 July and the last payment of carer’s allowance was made on 29 June in respect of the period 29 June to 5 July (carer’s allowance is paid on a Thursday, a week in advance), in accordance with the legislation governing this scheme.
The person concerned should immediately contact the Department’s carer’s allowance area by telephone at 1890 92 77 70 or (043) 334 0000, in the event that her daughter is discharged from hospital and her carer’s allowance payment will be re-instated.
In the meantime the person concerned will continue to receive her social welfare payment. If they experience financial difficulties, they should contact their local Intreo Centre to apply for a payment under the Department’s Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme.
Under the SWA scheme, an exceptional needs payment can be made to a person to help them meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
A payment towards hospital accommodations costs is already being met for this person under the SWA scheme.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.