Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 December 2020
502. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to persons being denied carer’s benefit as they do not meet the requirement of having worked the necessary number of weeks in the last 26 weeks due to their employment being impacted by Covid-19; if allowances will be made in order that Covid-19 does not impact persons applying for a carer’s payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40427/20]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2020 is expected to exceed €1.3 billion.
Carer's Benefit is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full time care.
Under the provisions of the legislation, to be eligible to claim Carer's Benefit, a claimant must have been employed for at least 8 weeks, whether consecutive or not, in the previous 26 week period. They must also meet certain PRSI contribution conditions and have, for example, at least 156 PRSI contributions paid at any time between entry into insurance and the time the claim for Carer’s Benefit is made. Any change to these requirements would require legislative amendment.
It should be noted that for persons who are in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), or who are employees in respect of whom employers are claiming a subsidy under the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme operated by the Revenue Commissioners, will for a prescribed number of weeks, receive full social insurance contributions at the same class that they were paying immediately prior to their employment being impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Carer's Allowance is a means tested payment made to people whose income falls below certain limits, and who are looking after certain people in need of full-time care and attention. This allowance is not based on the claimant’s employment record.
Any proposal to amend entitlement to Carer’s Benefit would require legislative change and would have to be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of current economic circumstances.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
