Enda Kenny
Ceist:458 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if it is intended to abolish the means test in respect of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7512/01]
Vol. 532 No. 4
458 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if it is intended to abolish the means test in respect of the carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7512/01]
471 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will recognise in a practical way, the contribution of carers to providing a service which otherwise would have to be paid for by the State; if he will abolish the means test for the carer's allowance and make a carer's payment available to all carers irrespective of their means or any other social welfare payment; if he will announce a timescale for the implementation of any such plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8040/01]
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 458 and 471 together.
The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to carers on low incomes who look after people, including children, who need full time care and attention.
Based on the research carried out in the review of the carer's allowance, which was published in October 1998, the current number of full-time carers is estimated to be around 50,000 people, covering carers of older people and adults and children with disabilities.
At the end of February 2001, there were 16,748 carers in receipt of carer's allowance. These figures show that 34% of full-time carers are in receipt of a carer's allowance payment which is an increase of 82% in the number of carers in receipt of the allowance since this Government took office. This large increase is reflected in the expenditure on carer's allowance, which was £36.5 million in 1997 and is projected to be £108.4 million this year, representing an increase of almost 200%.
As with all other social assistance schemes, a means test in which the income of both the applicant and his-her partner is assessable is applied to the carer's allowance to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need.
The means test has been eased significantly in the past few years, most notably with the introduction of disregards of income from employment and other sources.
In budget 2001, in addition to substantial rate increases, I also announced a number of other measures to support carers. In particular, I made provision for a substantial increase from April 2001 in the income disregards in the carer's allowance means test from £75 to £125 for a single person and from £150 to £250 for a couple. It is estimated that this will enable more than 5,000 new carers to qualify for carer's allowance and increase the payment of almost 3,000 existing carers.