Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2518. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the waiting times for processing carer's allowance and carer's benefit applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33647/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested payment, made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people.
Carer's benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention.
At the end of June 2018 the average waiting time for new CA application was 16 weeks while it was 11 weeks for a new CARB application.
Before a decision can be made on entitlement CA, evidence must be provided to establish whether the person being cared for has such a disability that they require full-time care and attention, whether the carer is providing full-time care and attention, whether the carer is habitually resident in the State and, finally, whether the carer satisfies the means test.
To qualify for CARB a person has to show that they have the required level of PRSI contributions, that they have left full-time employment, that they are providing full-time care and attention and that the person being cared for has such a disability that they require full-time care and attention.
In general, social welfare schemes with a number of complex qualifying conditions can take longer to process. This is compounded if the documentary evidence provided at initial application stage is incomplete or insufficient; this is sometimes the case with carer’s applications.
The Department recently launched a re-designed carer’s allowance application form. The new form includes a Care Report section which has been arrived at through consultation between officials and medical assessors of my Department and representatives and members of Family Carers Ireland.
It is expected that the new form will allow carers to provide more information on the type and level of care they provide, with an aim to providing Deciding Officers with the information they need to expedite decisions on entitlement.
The CARB form is currently being re-designed in a similar way.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
