Patricia Ryan
Ceist:521. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will remove the means test for the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14337/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 7 July 2020
Ceisteanna (521)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.
The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on these payments to carers in 2020 is expected to exceed €1.3 billion.
Carer's Allowance is a means-tested payment for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention on a full time basis. The means test for Carer's Allowance is one of the most generous in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse’s earnings. The amount of weekly earnings disregarded is €332.50 for a single person and €665 for a couple. This means that a couple with two children can earn in the region of €37,500 and qualify for the maximum rate of Carer's Allowance. A half-rate carer's allowance is also payable with other social welfare payments e.g. pensions and disability payments.
The conditions attached to payments of Carer’s Allowance are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally. This system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need with the means test playing the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring.
The continued application of the means test not only ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need but that resources are targeted to those with greatest need.
Based on the number of carers identified as part of Census 2016, it is estimated that a universal (non-means tested) carer’s payment could cost up to an additional €1.2 billion per annum.
Given the need to target available resources fairly and equitably to those in most need, I have no plans to change the means conditions for Carer's Allowance at this juncture. While I will seek to improve the supports available for carers, any changes must be considered in an overall budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the matter.