Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 21 Nov 2001

Vol. 544 No. 4

Written Answers. - Family Support Services.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

222 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the position regarding carers not in receipt of a carer's allowance; if he will estimate from his own data and from agencies involved the number of carers; the number excluded due to income grounds; the number excluded as carer is already on a social welfare payment; if data in relation to severity of illness is available; if conclusions can be drawn from the needs assessment pilot scheme; if he will extend the respite care grant to some or all categories as above; and estimate costing options. [29109/01]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The most recent estimate of the number of full-time carers is available from the results of the census pilot survey carried out by the Central Statistics Office. 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 to 49 hours unpaid personal help per week, or between three and seven hours per day; 79,000 people provide one to 19 hours unpaid personal help per week, or between nine minutes and 2.5 hours per day.

There are almost 19,000 carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carer's benefit. These are income maintenance payments in respect of full-time care and attention. These figures show that over 36% 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 or carer's benefit.

To qualify for a carer's allowance a person must be providing full-time care and attention to a person who is certified to be in need of such care. The payment is subject to a means test. An applicant may therefore not qualify for one of a number of reasons. Of the 7,500 claims received this year, approximately 51% of claims refused were refused for reasons relating to the need for or provision of care. Where applications are refused on these grounds, full-time care is either not required or is not being provided by the carer. About 8% of claims refused this year have been refused on the basis that the applicant's means exceed the limits and 41% of refusals have been for other miscellaneous reasons. This group includes carers who are in receipt of another, more beneficial social welfare payment – 3% – carers who withdraw their application – 8% – and carers who fail to reply to requests for further information regarding their claim – 18%.

The respite care grant is payable to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carer's benefit and to carers who are caring for recipients of a constant attendance or prescribed relatives allowance. Extending this grant to all those considered to be carers would cost an estimated £50 million, 63 million. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, the commitment to caring and the need for respite care can vary greatly. In the circumstances, I feel that issues related to respite care can only be dealt with in the context of a system of an overall needs assessment which is a matter for the Minister for Health and Children.

The question of further improvements to the carer's allowance and for carers generally will be considered in the context of the forthcoming budget, taking account of our key priorities in the care area, as set out in the review of our action programme and the health strategy which will be published next Monday by the Minister for Health and Children.