Holly Cairns
Question:103. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps that she is taking to increase disability allowance by €15 per week. [38581/22]
View answerThursday, 14 July 2022
Questions (103)
Written answers
My Department provides a range of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability, the largest of which is the Disability Allowance scheme. As at the end of May there were almost 155,800 people in receipt of this payment, with expenditure on Disability Allowance for 2021 at €1.8 billion. An estimated €4.8 billion was spent on illness, disability and caring schemes in 2021. The estimate for 2022 is €4.9 billion.
From the perspective of my Department, it is worth noting that a number of measures were introduced as part of Budget 2022 in relation to people with disabilities and their carers; these included:
- €5 increase in maximum rate of all core weekly payments including people with disabilities and carers, with proportionate increases for qualified adults, with effect from January.
- €3 increase for qualified child dependents aged 12 and over and €2 for those up to age 12, in all core weekly payments.
- An increase in the general weekly means disregard for Disability Allowance from €2.50 to €7.60 per week.
- An increase in the upper earnings disregard for Disability Allowance from €350 to €375.
- €3 increase in the weekly Living Alone Allowance from €19 to €22 for people with disabilities who are living alone.
- €5 increase in the Fuel Allowance from €28 to €33 per week.
- An increase to the Wage Subsidy scheme, which provides financial incentives to encourage private sector employers to employ people with disabilities.
- An increase in the Capital disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €20,000 to €50,000 from June.
- An increase in the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance to €350 a week for single carers and to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance will be paid for children who go into hospital for up to 6 months (was 3 months). Carer’s Allowance will also continue to be paid in respect of children who go into hospital for 6 months.
My Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. As part of this process my Department will host its annual pre-budget forum with the sector later this month. Any proposed increases to payments, including to Disability Allowance, have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.