Holly Cairns
Question:132. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps she is taking to support family carers. [14887/23]
View answerTuesday, 28 March 2023
Questions (132, 142)
Alan Farrell
Question:142. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the work of her Department to support carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15186/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 142 together.
The Government acknowledges the important 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 for carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2023 is expected to amount to almost €1.6 billion on these payments. The value of income transfers to family carers has increased by over 50% since 2015.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of significant improvements within the social welfare system to enhance the supports available for our carers. As part of Budget 2022, I was delighted to announce the first improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance in 14 years.
- The capital and savings disregard for the means assessment for Carer’s Allowance was increased from €20,000 to €50,000, aligning it with the capital means test for Disability Allowance.
- For carers who are working, I increased the weekly income disregard to €350 for a single person, and to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
These are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system.
There are a range of other supports for carers provided by my Department which are not based on a means assessment. These include the Carer’s Support Grant which is a payment for all carers regardless of means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant as part of Budget 2021 to €1,850, its highest ever rate.
As part of Budget 2023, I announced a range of measures directly benefitting family carers, particularly in light of the current cost of living crisis, these include:-
- A €12 increase in the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate.
- A €2 increase for each Qualified Child bringing rates to €50 for Over 12s and €42 for Under 12s.
- The Half-rate Carer’s Allowance is now disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance increased by €20.50 to €330 per month.
- Domiciliary Care Allowance is now available in respect of children with severe illness or disability who remain in hospital for up to six months after birth.
- A double payment for carers paid in October 2022.
- A €500 payment for people receiving Carer’s Support Grant paid in November 2022.
- Carers received the Christmas Bonus Double Payment.
More recently the Government announced a €200 payment for social welfare recipients including carers, which will be paid in April.
In acknowledging the role that family carers play in society and supporting carers in that role the Government has also committed to provide a pension solution for carers. In September I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system. One of the most important reforms is enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been caring for incapacitated dependents for over 20 years. We will do this by attributing social welfare contributions to long-term carers to cover gaps in their contribution record and by establishing a register of family carers for this purpose.
Department officials are currently working to implement the reforms, including drafting legislation and developing administrative and IT systems for implementation by January 2024.
Finally, I have committed to a carrying out a broad review of means testing this year, which will include the Carer's Allowance means test provisions. Changes to any of the schemes on foot of this review will only be done in the context of ensuring the most effective and targeted use of public funds that are required to provide income support on a broad societal level.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputies.