Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1181. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider extending the household benefits package to carers who do not live with the person they care for but for whom the carer’s allowance is their only income; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39596/22]
View answerThe Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 492,000 customers. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. The package is also available to those in receipt of the Carer's Allowance, where the recipient is providing full-time care and living with the person being carried for.
The Government values the role of carers very much and it is for this reason that they receive significant income supports from the Department. In addition to carer’s allowance, carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and the annual carers support grant (€1,850) in respect of each person for whom they care.
At €224 per week, the maximum rate of Carer's Allowance for those aged under 66, where one person is being cared for, is significantly higher than that for most schemes administered by my Department. The rate is €262 per week for carers aged 66 or over.
The means test for Carer's Allowance has been significantly eased over the years and is now one of the most generous means tests in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse’s earnings.
Carers can also engage in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for up to 18.5 hours a week.
Any decision to change the qualifying criteria for the HHB package payment would have to be considered in a policy and budgetary context.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
