Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2021
460. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Social Protection if a retired garda can apply for carer’s benefit; if such a person would qualify for the half-rate carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54041/21]
View answerCarer's Benefit is a PRSI based payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention.
Before a decision can be made on entitlement to Carer’s Benefit, evidence must be provided in respect of the care recipient’s care requirement, the level of care the carer provides, the carer’s hours of employment and their PRSI record.
Under the provisions of the legislation a person claiming Carer's Benefit must be in remunerative full time employment (for a minimum of 16 hours in the week or 32 hours in the fortnight) for eight weeks out of the previous 26 week period immediately prior to the first day on which a claim is made.
PRSI conditions paid in classes A, B, C, D, E and H are counted towards Carer's Benefit. Contributions paid at class S (self-employed contributions) do not count.
To qualify the carer must have the following:
- 39 reckonable contributions in the relevant tax year (2019 for a claim made in 2021) or
- 39 reckonable contributions paid in the 12-month period before the start of Carer's Benefit or
- 26 reckonable contributions paid in the Relevant Tax Year and 26 contributions paid in the year before that.
Carer’s Benefit is payable for a maximum period of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. It can be taken in one block or in separate periods as long as the combined total does not exceed 104 weeks. The current weekly rate is €220.00 (increasing to €225 in January 2022). Where a person is caring for two or more care recipients, the rate of payment is increased by 50%.
Carer's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. Half-rate Carer’s Allowance may be paid alongside certain other social welfare payments if the applicant is providing full time care and attention to another person while also meeting all the other conditions for Carer’s Allowance, including the means test. However, half-rate Carer’s Allowance is not payable with Carer’s Benefit.
It is open to anyone to complete and return an application form (CARB1) for Carer’s Benefit and (CR1) for Carer’s Allowance to the Social Welfare Services Office, Ballinalee Road, Longford, to have a formal decision made on any entitlement they may have.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
