Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
442. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes introduced to the half-rate carer's allowance since 27 June 2020; and if she will detail the number of recipients, by county, benefitting from these changes, in tabular form. [31138/23]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
People in receipt of certain social welfare payments other than CA or carers benefit who are providing full-time care and attention can retain their main payment and receive another payment, depending on their means, up to a maximum of half-rate CA. Therefore, a person who may have an underlying entitlement to another social welfare payment, such as State Pension (contributory), can transfer to that payment and continue to receive up to a half-rate CA.
These arrangements apply to almost all weekly social welfare payments and to people in receipt of qualified adult allowances. Recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit are not eligible given the job seeking nature of these payments. However, a person may be a qualified adult on these payments and receive half-rate CA.
There have been a number of changes to the carers payments over the last number of years which would have also benefitted those carers in receipt of a half-rate CA Payment. These include:
• In Budget 2020, the number of hours that carers can work or study outside the home was increased from 15 to 18.5 per week with effect from January 2020;
• In Budget 2021, the Carer’s Support Grant increased by €150 from €1,700 to €1,850 per year.
• In Budget 2022, for carers who work, the weekly income disregard was increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.
• In Budget 2023, the weekly rate of social welfare payments increased by €12 with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate.
As there are a number of qualifying criteria for CA and the Department does not record each criteria met by individual recipients, it is not possible to produce the information you requested. I have attached a breakdown of the number of carers in receipt of half-rate CA by county in tabular form.
Table: Carers in receipt of half rate Carers Allowance May 2020 and May 2023
|
County |
Number of half rate Carers Allowance Claims May 2020 |
Number of half rate Carers Allowance Claims May 2023 |
|
Carlow |
686 |
747 |
|
Cavan |
580 |
662 |
|
Clare |
980 |
1,020 |
|
Cork |
4,563 |
5,037 |
|
Donegal |
1,747 |
1,816 |
|
Dublin |
9,090 |
10,010 |
|
Galway |
1,809 |
1,919 |
|
Kerry |
1,285 |
1,326 |
|
Kildare |
1,394 |
1,518 |
|
Kilkenny |
730 |
776 |
|
Laois |
728 |
798 |
|
Leitrim |
340 |
362 |
|
Limerick |
2,198 |
2,513 |
|
Longford |
563 |
601 |
|
Louth |
1,223 |
1,329 |
|
Mayo |
1,215 |
1,301 |
|
Meath |
1,055 |
1,262 |
|
Monaghan |
427 |
503 |
|
Offaly |
886 |
1,001 |
|
Roscommon |
658 |
673 |
|
Sligo |
591 |
633 |
|
Tipperary |
1,868 |
2,040 |
|
Waterford |
1,151 |
1,248 |
|
Westmeath |
869 |
998 |
|
Wexford |
1,678 |
1,905 |
|
Wicklow |
1,074 |
1,167 |
|
Total |
39,388 |
43,165 |
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
