Written answers
Wednesday, 8 March 2006
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Social Welfare Benefits
9:00 pm
David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 145: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of claims for the carer's allowance received in each of the past three years; the percentage in each case of persons who transferred to the carer's allowance from other social welfare payment; the approximate proportion for each year of such cases that transferred from carer's benefit, an unemployment payment, sickness benefit or other social welfare payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9700/06]
David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context
Question 146: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the percentage of claimants for carer's allowance who receive 100% of their potential entitlement and the percentage receiving less than 50%, less than 75% and less than 90% of their potential entitlement at present; the equivalent figures for 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9701/06]
Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context
I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together.
Support of carers has been a priority of Government since 1997. Payments to carers have been greatly improved over that period and qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care payment have been introduced. The further development of support for carers continues to be a priority for me and for Government. There are now 25,318 persons in receipt of carer's allowance, end of February 2006. The number of persons in receipt of carer's allowance has increased by almost 4,000 since December 2003.
The information requested by the Deputy has been prepared in tabular format as follows:
| 1. Total number awarded and numbers transferring from other Social Welfare Payment | |||
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Total claims awarded | 3,984 | 4,739 | 5,066 |
| From Invalidity | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| From Disability Benefit | 49 | 62 | 100 |
| From Disability Allowance | 55 | 56 | 57 |
| From Unemployment Assistance | 70 | 399 | 502 |
| From Unemployment Benefit | 107 | 162 | 179 |
| From Widows Pension | 15 | 21 | 28 |
| From Retirement Pension | 1 | 9 | 8 |
| From Old Age Pension | 25 | 41 | 82 |
| From Carers Benefit | 77 | 119 | 173 |
| From One Parent Family Payment | 94 | 201 | 233 |
| From Qualified Adult on SW payment | 523 | 625 | 780 |
| From Supplementary Welfare Allowance | 183 | 217 | 295 |
| Other | 9 | 10 | 21 |
| Total transfers from SW payment | 1,209 | 1,927 | 2,468 |
| Transfers as % of all awards | 30% | 41% | 49% |
| 2. Total number in receipt of Carer's Allowance in 2003 and 2006 | ||||
| 2003 | % | 2006 | % | |
| Total in receipt of carer's allowance | 21,326 | 25,318 | ||
| In receipt of maximum rate of carer's allowance | 19,099 | 89.50 | 22,904 | 90.50 |
| In receipt of less than 90% of maximum rate | 2,227 | 10.40 | 1,726 | 6.80 |
| In receipt of less than 75% of maximum rate | 1,180 | 5.50 | 999 | 3.90 |
| In receipt of less than 50% of maximum rate | 578 | 2.7 | 374 | 1.50 |
No comments