Emer Higgins
Question:359. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans in the next budget to increase financial supports for carers in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19096/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 April 2023
Questions (359)
Written answers
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.
Domiciliary Care Allowance is designed as a support for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, who requires ongoing care and attention, substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The payment is not based on the type of disability but is based on the impact of the disability and it is not means tested.
In acknowledging the financial burden families of sick children face I have made significant changes to the Domiciliary Care Allowance payment over the last two years.
As part of Budget 2022, I extended the period during which Domiciliary Care Allowance can be paid for children in hospital from 3 months to 6 months.
• As part of Budget 2023 and with effect from January, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available for babies who remain in an acute hospital after birth for a period of 6 months. During both these extended
• periods of eligibility and where other conditions are met, a carer may also receive Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit and the Carer's Support Grant.
• I increased the monthly payment by €21 to its current rate of €330.00.
As part of Budget 2023, I announced further improvements to payments for carers including:
• 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.
• 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.
In addition, a further Spring Cost of Living Bonus payment of €200 is being made for social welfare recipients, including carers, which will be paid this week.
In order to learn of and assess priorities within the sector, my department actively engages with carers’ representative groups on an ongoing basis. My department hosts the Annual Carers’ Forum which brings together individual carers, representatives of carer organisations and officials invited from other relevant Government Departments. The Annual Carers’ Forum forms part of my department’s commitments under the National Carer's Strategy and planning is currently underway for this year’s event which will take place on 17 May.
As part of the annual budgetary process my department invites pre-Budget submissions from representative bodies. As well as giving consideration to the submissions received, my department normally hosts an annual Pre-Budget Forum which representative bodies attend. The Pre-Budget Forum is an opportunity for me to meet with groups from the community and voluntary sector, including carer representative groups.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.