Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 257: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the implications in terms of primary and secondary benefits for a carer pensioner on a contributory old age pension who switches to carer's allowance in view of the fact that the rate of the latter is now higher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14089/06]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who provide certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full-time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit. From January this year the maximum rate of carer's allowance for a carer over 66 years of age increased from €169.80 to €200 per week. The maximum rate of the old age contributory pension increased to €193.30 per week.

While the maximum rate of carer's allowance is higher than the maximum rate of old age contributory pension, a number of secondary payments can be paid with old age contributory pension which are not paid with carer's allowance. These include qualified adult allowance, living alone allowance and fuel allowance.

From June 2005, the respite care grant scheme was extended to all carers who provide full-time care to a person who needs such care. This means the grant is now paid to carers who provide full-time care and who are either in receipt of a social welfare payment such as old age contributory pension or carer's allowance or those who do not receive a weekly social welfare payment from the Department.

Therefore, it may be more advantageous for a person to remain in receipt of old age contributory pension. If a person wishes to have his or her eligibility for carer's allowance assessed under the current rules, he or she should contact carer's allowance section, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford. A person who qualifies for two social welfare payments will always receive the payment which is more advantageous to him or her.