Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1099. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a carer's allowance payment will be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29411/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's Allowance 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. 

Means include capital and income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could generate an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.

One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of CA is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit.

Once claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement.  Depending on the circumstances in each case and to make best use of resources, a review may only concentrate on a specific condition of entitlement.

Following a recent review, it was determined that the means of the person concerned are greater than the statutory limit. 

The Deciding officer also reviewed the entitlement taking into account the 2022 budgetary changes.  However, the means of the person concerned continue to be greater than the new statutory limit and her claim has been terminated with effect from 1 June 2022.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on 26 May 2022 , the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.  If the person concerned believes their income falls within the appropriate limits, or if their circumstances have changed, they may forward documentary information of their current income to the Department for consideration.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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1100. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a review will take place into eligibility for a carer's allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29425/22]

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 25 January 2022. 

The person concerned was awarded a reduced rate of CA on 7 April 2022 with effect from 27 January 2022 and was subsequently advised of her possible entitlement and the application process for Carer's benefit (CARB).

CARB is a PRSI based payment, made to a person 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.

A completed application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 5 May 2022.  

The Deciding officer also reviewed the entitlement to CA, taking into account the 2022 budgetary changes.  However, the means of the person concerned would continue to give an entitlement to a reduced rate of CA.

The CARB claim has been awarded and as the person concerned is financially better off in receipt of CARB, the CA has now been stopped in favour of CARB with effect from 3 February 2022.

This CARB claim will remain in payment until 31 January 2024 so long as the conditions of the scheme continue to be satisfied.

The person concerned was notified of this decision on 2 June 2022, the reason for it and her right of review and appeal.  It is also open to the person concerned to apply for CA again if her financial circumstances change or at least three months before the Carb claim is due to finish.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1101. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider removing the rule that pensioners lose their living alone allowance and fuel allowance when their child moves back into their home due to the housing crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29426/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The living alone allowance and the fuel allowance payment are considered secondary, or non-primary payments which is incorporated into the person’s qualifying payment.  The effect of the allowances is to increase the rate of payment to qualifying people.

The qualifying criteria for these payments are designed to ensure the payments go to those who need them the most.  In the case of the living alone allowance it recognises that there are economies of scale associated with living with another person.  With regards to the fuel allowance payment, it ensures that it goes to those who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and who require support with heating their home in the winter period.

The adult child of a householder moving back into the family home might reduce such additional allowances previously held by the householder.  However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a weekly contribution by the person moving in would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department.

Significant costs would arise if the criteria were relaxed in the manner suggested by the Deputy and any decision to change the criteria for these schemes would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations

Finally, the Department of Social Protection operates an Additional Needs Payment as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have additional needs, which they cannot meet from their own resources.  This payment is detailed on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/anpand is available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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1102. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the policy under which the payment of child benefit claims for 16 and 17 year olds is only issued for July and August if the child returns to school in September 2022; the system that is in place to inform child benefit recipients that they will not receive their payment in July; the rationale behind this system; and if her Department considered that parents will have to purchase schoolbooks and uniforms in August 2022 without the help of the child benefit payment. [29443/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years.  The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability.

Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2.1 billion in 2022.

Under Child Benefit legislation, Child Benefit is only payable to children aged over16 as long as they continue in full-time education or if they have a disability.

Payment of Child Benefit for the summer months will continue where the school has certified that the child will remain in full time education.  Where the school has not certified continuing education the payment will be temporarily suspended and the claimant will be advised to confirm continuing education in the Autumn. 

Letters issue during the summer from the Department to each of the families affected, which must be completed by the schools to certify the children who have returned to education.  At this point the Child Benefit payment will be reinstated, and payment for the months suspended during the summer will be issued as arrears.

Where a school has already certified a child's attendance beyond the summer break, the payment is not suspended.

The Department provides many other supports to families; the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year.  The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid, and eligible children between the ages of 18 and 22 who are in full-time second level education and in respect of whom a qualified child allowance is being paid.  The rates of payments for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance are €160 for children aged 4 to 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over and are returning to second level education.

Funding is also available from Department of Education to schools to help cover the costs of school books.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.