Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that results in them requiring that level of care.
I can advise the Deputy that at the end of April 2021 there were 89,549 customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance, an increase of 27% from 70,459 customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance in 2016.
I have attached a breakdown of the number of customers in receipt of Carer's Allowance in the past five years in tabular form and the percentage increase per year.
Year (end of)
|
Total
|
% Increase
|
2020
|
88,906
|
5.8
|
2019
|
84,028
|
5.1
|
2018
|
79,914
|
6.2
|
2017
|
75,264
|
6.8
|
2016
|
70,459
|
11.8
|
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.