The person concerned is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension. Many of the difficulties referred to in her letter relate to problems she has experienced in caring for her elderly mother, in particular in relation to respite care. These are issues for the Minister for Health and Children who has recently allocated funding of £1 million to the health boards, specifically targeted at carers of older people. Additional funding has also been granted by the Minister for Health and Children to the Carer's Association and funding for additional nursing and para-medical supports for the home care of older people.
The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual.
The review of the carer's allowance examined the issue of paying the carer's allowance in conjunction with another social welfare payment. As indicated, the practice of paying only one allowance is a feature, with very few exceptions, of all social welfare payments and is designed to ensure that limited resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one individual. The review concluded that this practice should continue.
In the case of the person concerned, it is of more financial benefit to her to remain in receipt of her current payment.
The 2000 budget provided for an increase of £7 a week for old age pensioners, including widows and widowers aged over 66 years, together with an increase of £4 a week for all other social welfare recipients aged under 66 years. These improvements will come into effect from the beginning of May 2000.