John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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274. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will review and expedite the carer's allowance being paid to a person (details supplied) to ensure that the maximum benefit is being paid; and if the general practitioner's letter will be considered as a matter of urgency. [28237/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Carer’s allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned from 2 February 2012 in respect of one care recipient. The person concerned applied for CA for a second care recipient on 5 August 2015.

The application was awarded on 30 June 2016. The first payment of CA at the higher rate of payment issued to his nominated post office on the 7 July 2016. Arrears of allowance due from the 6 August 2015 to 6 July 2016 have also issued to the post office. The person concerned was notified of these details on the 30 June 2016.

CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care.

The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement and a review was recently carried out in this case.

As part of that review the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance continue to be satisfied.

The outcome of this review is that it appears that circumstances have changed and full-time care is no longer being provided to one care recipient. The person concerned was notified of this on 20 September 2016 and was afforded 21 days to reply before a decision is made. Payment of CA will continue while the review is ongoing and the GP’s letter will be considered as part of the review.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.