Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
369. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection to clarify the current position where a person is in receipt of carer’s allowance, and they are also working part-time, but due to hospitalisation are not able to work for a period of time; if there are proposals to amend the current system that does not allow them to qualify for illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7573/24]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the important role that 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.
My Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, domiciliary care allowance and the carer’s support grant. Combined spending on these payments to carers in 2023 is estimated to exceed €1.73 billion, which includes an estimated €106.8 million in once off bonuses.
Carer’s allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment awarded to those carers who are caring for certain people whose needs are such that they require full-time care and attention. The projected expenditure on carer’s allowance in 2023 is approximately €1,082 million which includes an estimated €38.2 million in once off bonuses.
Illness benefit is the main income support provided by my Department to those who cannot work due to illness of any kind and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for illness benefit is based on medical and contribution conditions and it is paid from the Social Insurance Fund. Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) paid under Classes A, E, H and P provide entitlement to illness benefit. Applicants must have a minimum of 104 social insurance contributions and must meet other conditions in relation to when these were paid and whether they are paid or credited contributions.There is a general principle of one person, one payment, which applies across the social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world. As a general rule, people in receipt of full-rate carer’s allowance cannot be in receipt of an overlapping second payment, for example illness benefit, at the same time.
Social welfare legislation provides for the continuation of payment of carer’s allowance for up to thirteen weeks in the event that the person being cared for or the carer themselves is hospitalised or admitted to a nursing home.
However, in the scenario outlined by the Deputy, if the 13 weeks hospitalisation period is exceeded, resulting in the discontinuation of the carer's allowance payment, the customer may be entitled to illness benefit if they meet the eligibility criteria. If the person leaves hospital subsequently and resumes full time care of the caree, they may also be entitled to half rate carer’s allowance, in addition to the illness benefit payment, if they meet the eligibility criteria.
In circumstances where people are ill but do not qualify for illness benefit, my Department provides means tested supports under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. An additional needs payment may also be available to people who have expenses that they cannot pay from their weekly income.
If there is a particular case of concern for the Deputy, I would ask that it is brought to the attention of my Department for advice.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
