Michael Noonan
Ceist:211 Mr. Noonan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the number of carers in receipt of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12063/00]
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The number of recipients of carer's allowance at the end of March 2000 was 14,977. This represents an increase of 3,318, or 28%, on the 12 month period since March 1999 and an overall increase of more than 60% since the present Government took office in June 1997.
Willie Penrose
Ceist:212 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the steps he will take to ensure that the minimum payment payable under the disability allowance be raised to £100 per week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11909/00]
Last December's social welfare budget package, which is the biggest ever social welfare budget allocation amounting to over £428 million on a full year basis, provides, inter alia, for a £4 a week increase in social welfare payments in general, including disability allowance. With an expected annual average inflation rate of 3% for 2000, this year's increases will be ahead of expected inflation, representing a real increase of 2.3% for recipients of disability allowance.
In addition, special increases in the rates of qualified adult allowances are being provided as part of an overall strategy to increase this allowance to 70% of the main rate over the next three budgets. This means that the couple rate of disability allowance will increase by £7.80 a week, 6.7%, which represents a real increase of 3.6%.
As part of the process of aligning tax and social welfare changes by 2001, these increases are being paid four weeks earlier this year, from the beginning of May.
In addition to the increases in the weekly rates of social welfare payments, last December's budget also provided for a number of other improvements for people with disabilities, including the payment of full-rate disability allowance to those in full-time residential care, which will result in an increase of £40.70 a week in such cases, and a 50% increase from £50 to £75 a week in the amount of income from rehabilitative employment which is disregarded for disability allowance purposes. This enhanced disregard has also been extended to those in rehabilitative self-employment. Finally, it should be noted that the recently ratified Programme for Prosperity and Fairness provides that over the next three years all rates of social welfare will be increased in real terms and substantial progress will be made towards a target of £100 a week for the lower rates of payment.