Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Brendan Smith
Ceist:
35
Mr. B. Smith
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the proposals he has to change the eligibility criteria for carer's allowance, particularly for applicants in receipt of a social welfare payment prior to making application for carer's allowance; if consideration will be given to the need for the introduction of an income disregard for those in receipt of a social welfare payment who subsequently qualify for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20192/01]
Willie Penrose
Ceist:
48
Mr. Penrose
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the estimates for the cost of abolishing the means test for the carer's allowance.
[20116/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
71
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will prepare a response to issues raised in the recent research report, Listening to the Voice of Carers, carried out by the South Eastern Health Board, Waterford Institute of Technology and the University of Ulster and which concerns the work of his Department.
[20112/01]
Jim O'Keeffe
Ceist:
75
Mr. J. O'Keeffe
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his views on whether many of those providing full-time care are already in receipt of social welfare payments and are therefore precluded under regulations from drawing a second payment; his further views on whether many in this category are worse off than others who qualify for carer's allowance; and his views on whether this regulation should be changed.
[20197/01]
Brendan Smith
Ceist:
78
Mr. B. Smith
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the proposals he has to improve the eligibility criteria for carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20191/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
213
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the extent to which he proposes to increase carer's allowance by way of direct increase or review of means testing; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20456/01]
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
214
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the number of carers in receipt of carer's allowance; the number of persons who are deemed to be carers by the voluntary organisations; the plans he has to extend payments to the wider group; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[20457/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 35, 48, 71, 75, 78, 213 and 214 together.
The carer's allowance is a means tested payment for carers on low income who look after people in need of full-time care and attention.
The most recent estimate of the number of full-time carers has been provided by the results of the census pilot survey carried out by the Central Statistics Office, CSO. This survey was carried out in September 1999 and is based on a sample of 8,000 households in which persons aged 15 years or over were asked if they provided unpaid personal help for someone with a long-term illness, health problem or disability, including problems due to old age.
The detailed results are as follows; 35,000 people provide more than 50 hours unpaid personal help per week, or seven hours per day; 17,000 people provide 20-49 hours unpaid personal help per week, or between three and seven hours per day; 79,000 people provide 1-19 hours unpaid personal help per week, or between nine minutes and 2.5 hours per day.
These results are consistent with the figure of 50,000 full-time carers as estimated in the review of the carer's allowance. It also explains the estimate of 120,000 carers used by the carer organisations which I have consistently said was due to the definition they were using of carer, as someone who visits or assists a person, but who does not provide full-time care. I have asked the CSO to consider using a more detailed breakdown of these hours when conducting the census next year.
There are almost 17,300 carers in receipt of carer's allowance. These figures show that more than 33% of the 52,000 carers, as estimated by the CSO to be caring for more than three hours per day, are in receipt of carer's allowance. This is an increase of almost 88% in the number of carers in receipt of the allowance since this Government took office and, indeed, it should also be noted that the expected increase of another 5,000 carers following the recent increases in income disregards will increase this percentage to 42% of all carers who are providing more than three hours care per day.
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 next year, representing an increase of almost 200%.
In budget 2001, in addition to the substantial weekly rate increases of £8 for carers aged under 66 and £10 for carers aged over 66, 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 weekly 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. As I have already mentioned, this will enable more than 5,000 new carers to qualify for carer's allowance and almost 3,000 existing carers to receive an increased payment. The effect of this increase will ensure that a couple with two children, earning a joint income in the region of £15,100, will qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance while a couple in receipt of £26,000 will qualify for the minimum carer's allowance, plus the free schemes and respite care grant.
The means test applied to the carer's allowance is one of the more flexible tests in terms of the assessment of household incomes and the measures that I have introduced further enhance the qualification criteria for this scheme. As I announced in my budget speech, I envisage moving towards what I see as the optimum situation, whereby all carers, whose joint family income is at average industrial earnings, will qualify for carer's allowance at the maximum rate.
In view of the many supports required by carers, particularly in community care and respite care, I do not consider that abolition of the means test, at a cost in the region of £180 million, is the best way to support carers or the best use of resources.
The review of the carer's allowance, published in October 1998, considered the purpose and development of the carer's allowance scheme, both in terms of its current operation and its future development. It examined a wide range of issues including the payment of carer's allowance in conjunction with another social welfare payment. In this regard, the review estimated that approximately 65% of carers qualifying for carer's allowance were in receipt of another social welfare payment, either in their own right or as a qualified adult on their spouse's payment. This would not be the situation today due to the increased income disregards I have introduced that allow carers on higher joint family incomes to qualify.
The review examined the purpose of the carer's allowance and concluded that it is an income support payment and not a payment or caring. It noted that 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 to ensure that resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one individual. Therefore, the review concluded that two income support payments should not be made, in line with current practice. Of course, a person qualifying for two social welfare payments will always receive the higher payment to which they are entitled.
The review did propose the introduction of a non-means tested "continual care" payment to recognise carers providing the highest levels of care and to promote care in the community. It envisaged that this payment would be made, irrespective of income or social welfare entitlement, to carers caring for those who are in the highest category of dependency. In order to differentiate between the levels of care and care needs, the review considered that a needs assessment encompassing both the needs of the care recipient and the carer should be introduced, and that the "continual care" payment could be introduced following the introduction of such an assessment. It was considered that a needs assessment would separate care needs from income support needs and could be used by all State organisations which provide reliefs or grants to those in need of care.
Establishing a pilot system of needs assessment for carers and people needing care was identified as a priority in the Government's review of its action programme. This area is the responsibility of my colleague, Dr. Tom Moffatt, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children.
With regard to the recent research report, "Listening to the Voice of Carers", which was published by the South-Eastern Health Board, I welcome all publications which highlight the issues of concern to carers. Some of the issues raised relate to co-ordination of services for carers and to the lack of information available to carers regarding their entitlements.
Many of the issues relating to the co-ordination of services on the ground are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children and the individual health boards. However, I would like to remind Deputies that the Government has already pledged to put in place a co-ordinated approach addressing the needs of carers. One of the key priorities we set was to develop a partnership model to facilitate the development by the State, in conjunction with the private sector, of an improved system for meeting long-term care costs. To this end, I initiated a consultancy study on the future financing of long-term care. The study, which is currently under way, is examining the strategic issues involved and involves an assessment of alternative financing and funding approaches and their feasibility in the Irish context. The study also involves the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Finance. I would also like to remind the House that my officials worked closely with officials of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to introduce the carer's benefit and, most recently, the Carer's Leave Act which was enacted this week and will benefit many carers, who can now take leave of absence from their employment to care full-time.
With regard to the provision of information, Deputies should note that my Department produces a comprehensive range of information leaflets and booklets covering each social welfare payment or scheme and these are widely available at local level from my Department, from post offices and from other organisations.
At the end of last year, more than 16,000 carers and more than 100,000 people with disabilities received a customised information booklet outlining the support available from the various Government Departments. Most recently a mailshot issued to all households in the State to ensure that those who are not currently receiving benefits or pensions are made aware of their entitlements and of other relevant services.
Changes and improvements to schemes and services are advertised, using an appropriate mix of national and provincial media, fact sheets, posters and direct mailshots. Selective use is also made of freephone services to provide information and advice on the introduction of new schemes or, for example, at budget time. Another initiative undertaken by my Department is a website through which the public can access information on the Department's services.
The development of the range of supports for carers will continue to be a priority for this Government and, building on the foundations now in place, we will continue to develop the types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to people who devote their time to improving the quality of life for others.
The question of further improvements to the carer's allowance and for carers generally will be considered in a budgetary context, taking account of our key priorities in the care area, as set out in the review of our action programme.
