Brendan Griffin
Question:66. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will remove the means test for the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21960/24]
View answerWednesday, 15 May 2024
Questions (66)
Written answers
The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family 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.
The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.
The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 96,670 people getting this payment.
The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied. The application of the means-test not only ensures that the recipient has an income need but also that scarce resources are targeted to those with the greatest need.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of significant improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance. In June 2022 the income disregards were increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner. The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was also increased from €20,000 to €50,000. From June the weekly income disregard will be further increased next month from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner. These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time. The means test disregards for Carer's Allowance are the highest in the Social Welfare system.
It is also important to acknowledge that there are a range of other supports for carers provided by the Department which are not based on a means assessment.
• The Carer’s Support Grant can be claimed by carers regardless of their means or social insurance contributions. I increased this grant to €1,850, its highest ever rate.
• Carer's Benefit is a weekly payment based on social insurance contributions rather than a means test and is payable for a period of up to 2 years.
• Domiciliary Care Allowance is payable to a parent or guardian in respect of a child who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. As part of Budget 2024 we have increased the payment by another €10 bringing it to €340 per month.
Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I established an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments.
I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.