Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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559. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (detail supplied) in County Cork is entitled to arrears of payment in respect of a carer’s allowance claim. [26770/20]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 6 March 2020.

Carer's allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 17 April 2020 with effect from 12 March 2020.  The first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 7 May 2020.

The person concerned was notified on 17 April 2020 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal, and was notified arrears for the period from 12 March 2020 to 6 May 2020 would issue at a later date.

The person concerned was in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JA), which included an Increase for a  Qualified Adult (IQA) of €147.00 in respect of her spouse. As a result, on 17 April 2020, the Deciding Officer (DO) contacted the Local Office of the person concerned in order to confirm the amount of JA paid to the person concerned during the period 12 March 2020 to 6 May 2020.

On 11 May 2020, the Carer's Allowance section was notified that the person concerned had received a total of €2,433.78 while on JA during the period 12 March 2020 to 6 May 2020.

Arrears of allowance due from 12 March 2020 to 6 May 2020 less any other payment made on her behalf for this period issued to the person concerned on 28 May 2020.  The person concerned was issued with arrears of €145.72.

Correspondence issued to the person concerned on 8 September 2020 in relation to her arrears. 

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.