Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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521. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the €500 lump sum payment for those in receipt of disability allowance includes disabled persons who have been transferred from disability allowance to a pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51523/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of Budget 2023, the Social Protection budget has been designed to assist people with cost of living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the fuel allowance scheme.

The measures introduced include the provision of a one-off €500 Cost-of-Living lump sum, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer's Support Grant.  Recipients who are in receipt of one (or more) of these payments will qualify for the €500 payment.

Persons in receipt of a State Pension are not eligible for this lump sum.  They will however receive a double payment of their pension on 21^stOctober 2022 under the Autumn Cost-of-Living Support measure which I also announced in the recent Budget and will receive a Christmas Bonus double payment on 9^thDecember 2022.  

Persons in receipt of Fuel Allowance will receive a €400 Lump Sum Fuel Allowance payment.  Persons who are in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance will receive a €200 Living Alone Lump Sum payment. Both of these payments will be paid in the week commencing 14^thNovember 2022.  

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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522. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a family carer caring for more than one person is entitled to a family carers’ €500 lump sum payment for each person who they are caring for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51524/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The €500 Cost of Living payment referred to by the Deputy is a lump sum payment to those carers who are eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant. Unlike the annual Carer’s Support Grant, which is paid in respect of each person being cared for, this is a single lump sum paid to the carer, irrespective of the number of persons being cared for. This payment will be made in the week commencing 21 November.

It is worth noting that in circumstances where the care recipient is in receipt of a long-term disability payment of Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or Invalidity Pension in their own right, they too will receive the €500 Cost of Living lump-sum payment in the week commencing 14 November.

The €500 Cost of Living payment is part of a range of measures put in place for carers as part of Budget 2023. Other measures announced include:

- Cost of Living Double Payment to Carers in week commencing 17 October

- Carers will also receive the Christmas Bonus Double Payment in week commencing 5 December

- €12 increase in the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit with effect from January 2023 with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate

- €2 increase for each Qualified Child, bringing rates to €50 for Over 12s and €42 for Under 12s from January 2023

- Half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance with effect from January 2023

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.