Written answers

Tuesday, 9 June 2020

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Carer's Allowance

Photo of John McGuinnessJohn McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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646. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if carer’s allowance will be approved in the case of a person (details supplied); and if required, if an oral hearing will be arranged. [9859/20]

Photo of Regina DohertyRegina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person 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.

Two applications for CA were received from the person concerned on 27 March 2019 in respect of two care recipients.

The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 11 July 2019 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied.

It is a condition for receipt of CA that the person/s being cared for must have such a disability that as a result they require full-time care and attention.

This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continual supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to require that level of care for at least twelve months.

It is a further condition that the carer must provide this level of care.

In addition, every applicant for a social welfare payment is required to furnish a deciding officer with such certificates, documents, information and evidence as may be required for the purpose of deciding a claim.

I am advised that the person concerned did not provide documents that were requested in relation to her means. In addition it was decided that she was not providing full-time care and attention and that the person’s being cared for did not require full-time care attention. Therefore her applications for CA were disallowed.

The person concerned was notified on 21 November 2019 of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review and appeal.

The person concerned requested a review of this decision and submitted additional evidence in support of her application.

The outcome of this review was that the fulltime care and attention condition was not met. The person concerned was notified of the outcome on 17 February 2020 the reason for it and of her right of appeal.

Following this and subsequent reviews the decision remained unchanged.

The department was notified on 27 May 2020 that the person concerned had appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). A submission in support of the decision is being prepared and will shortly be forwarded along with the file to the SWAO for determination.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy

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