Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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280. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the carer's allowance payment would be exempt from a means test if the medical needs of the patient and the level of care being provided are assessed that it should be sufficient. [51022/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The main income supports to carers provided by Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2022 is expected to amount to over €1.5 billion.

There are currently 91,911 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. This represents an increase of 22% in the past 5 years.

The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and being provided, and that the applied means test is satisfied. Carer’s Allowance is primarily aimed at carers on low incomes who look after certain people who need full-time care and attention.

Like other social assistance payments, the Carer’s Allowance means-test ensures that scarce resources are targeted at those with the greatest need.

Earlier this year, I introduced significant improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance, in recognition of the vital role that carers play in society. These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years:

- The capital and savings disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment was increased from €20,000 to €50,000, aligning it with that which applies for Disability Allowance.

- For carers who work, the weekly income disregard was increased from €332.50 to €350 for a single person, and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.

The changes outlined came into effect on 2 June and many carers who up to now did not qualify for a payment due to means will now be brought into the Carer's Allowance system for the first time.

The current Carer's Allowance disregards are the most generous income disregards in the social welfare system and mean that, in the case of a couple, earnings of up to €39,000 a year are disregarded.

In addition to Carer's Allowance, my department provides non-means tested payment to carers in the form of Carer;s Benefit. Furthermore, the Carer's Support Grant - which I have increased to its highest-ever rate of €1,850 - is available to carers who are not on a social welfare payment. For those providing ongoing care and attention for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability, Domiciliary Care Allowance is available and is not means-tested.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.