Joe Flaherty
Question:873. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the carer’s benefit payment is not considered a qualifying payment for the household benefits package (details supplied). [56662/23]
View answerWednesday, 17 January 2024
Questions (873)
Written answers
The Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €294 million this year on the Household Benefits Package for over 520,000 customers.
People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The package is available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments.
The reason Carer's Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the Household Benefits Package is that it is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care. The payment is not means-tested and is based on a person’s PRSI record. The person still has an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to their full-time employment.
While consideration is always given to suggested improvements to the Department’s schemes, any decision to extend access to the Household Benefits Package to those in receipt of Carer's Benefit would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of overall budget negotiations.
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 Benefit, carers receive additional support in the form of the annual Carer's Support Grant (€1,850) in respect of each person for whom they care.
In Budget 2024 the Government announced a number of measures that will support those in receipt of Carer's Benefit. Carers who qualify for the Carer's Support Grant received a lump sum payment of €400 which was paid in November. People who are in receipt of Carer's Benefit received a Christmas Bonus double payment and will receive another double payment in January.
From January 2024 the maximum weekly payment rate of Carer's Benefit will increase by €12 and the weekly full rate for a qualified child will increase to:
• €46 for children under 12 years of age
• €54 for children aged 12 years and over
As party of Budget 2024, the Government also implemented non-social protection measures which include a further €450 energy credit.
Finally, my Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an essential need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust that this clarifies these matters for the Deputy.