The carer's allowance introduced in November 1990 provided, for the first time in this country, a direct payment to a full-time carer on a means-tested basis. It is directed at persons who are providing elderly or incapacitated social welfare pensioners with full-time care and attention and whose income falls below certain limits. From July 1991, the scheme was extended to include carers of recipients of disabled person's maintenance allowance.
The scheme as it stands is directed at people on low income who satisfy the means test. Any extension of the scheme to cover other categories of people providing care, would have major financial implications. The means test for the allowance is, however, being examined in the context of a general review of means-test arrangements within my Department.