Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 April 2019
524. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the estimated full year cost of increasing the week hours a carer can work or study while receiving carer's allowance, carer's benefit or the carer support grant from 15 to 18.5 hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14745/19]
View answerIt is a condition for receipt of carer’s benefit, carer’s allowance and the carer’s support grant that the carer must be providing full-time care and attention (FTCA) to a person who requires such full-time care and attention because of a specified illness or disability. This condition is moderated by legislation allowing the carer to work or engage in training outside the home for an aggregate total of 15 hours per week. During this period of employment or education or training, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person. At the end of 2016, there were 70,459 CA recipients 14,322 (approximately 20 per cent) were in engaged in some form of employment over the course of the year.
The main cost elements of a proposal to increase the limit would arise from potentially additional claimants who would not currently be eligible or do not apply because of the 15 hours condition. As administrative data does not provide a breakdown of the latter and the former is unknown, the Department has provided an indicative estimate annual cost of around €1 million for those in receipt of Carer's Allowance only.
Any changes to qualifying criteria would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.
