Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
921. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if, in line with Action 63 of the Autism Committee’s Final Report, she has plans to introduce a non-means tested, targeted cost-of-disability payment for the carers to autistic people and disabled people with high levels of expenditure due to their autism diagnosis or disability; and the estimated first- and full-year cost, respectively, of implementing this proposal. [57310/23]
View answerMy Department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2024 is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion on these payments.
The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer's Allowance is means tested and does not require any social insurance contributions. The means test is used to target the support to those most in need.
While the caring requirements of the caree(s) will be different, this does not affect the rates of the allowance, which is intended to provide an income support for the carer and does not depend on individual care requirements.
In addition to Carer's Allowance, this department also provides a number of other income supports for carers which are not means tested. Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their hours to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. For those providing ongoing care and attention for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available and is also not means-tested. Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16, who has a severe disability and requires care and attention substantially over and above that required by other children their age. It ceases to be payable when a child reaches 16 years of age. The young person can then apply for Disability Allowance if they meet the eligibility requirements.
Furthermore, the annual Carer's Support Grant - which I increased to its highest-ever rate of €1,850 - is also available to carers who are not on a social welfare payment. The grant is paid in a single lump sum annually, usually on the first Thursday in June. The grant is not means-tested and is not taxable and is paid in respect of each care recipient. Carers may use the grant in a manner that is appropriate to their needs. The grant is paid in respect of each person being cared for to take account of the additional cost of providing care and to recognise the particular challenges faced by these carers.
Since my time as Minister I have introduced a number of measures to support people with disabilities and carers, to improve their living standards and to mitigate the impacts of the rising cost of living. These include a combination of once-off payments, increases to the rate of weekly income support payments and increases to income thresholds. I have continued with this targeted approach as part of Budget 2024, such measures include:
• €12 increase in maximum personal rate of weekly payments, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates, from January 2024.
• €10 per month increase for people in receipt of Domiciliary Care Allowance from January 2024
• From June 2024 the earnings disregard for Carer's Allowance will increase to €450 for a single person and €900 for a couple.
Significant Cost-of-Living lump sum payments are also being provided for carers and people with disabilities.
• These include Double Payments in December and January.
• €400 for people in receipt of disability payments and people receiving the Carer’s Support Grant, paid in November.
I am satisfied with the range of carer income supports provided by my department and in this regard I do not intend to introduce a cost of disability payment for carers.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
