Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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A person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance or signing for credited contributions is stating that they are capable of and actively seeking full time employment, which is incompatible with providing full time care and attention to a person in need of such care. Accordingly, a person in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance or signing for credited contributions is precluded by legislation governing the Carer’s Support Grant from receipt of the Grant (Section 225 (2)(b) Section 225(2)(c) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005, as amended), refers.

The ‘rent a room’ means disregard may apply to Carer’s Allowance applicants who rent out a room in their own home. This allows for up to a limit of €269.23 per week in respect of income from renting a room in their own home to be disregarded. This does not apply to short-term lettings (of less than 28 consecutive days). It also does not apply if the person is renting a room to their own employee or to an immediate family member. Immediate family members are:

- A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant

- A child, or the spouse of your child

- A parent, step-parent or parent-in-law

- A sibling, including step-siblings or siblings-in-law

- A grandparent or grandchild

- An aunt or uncle

- A nephew or niece

The prescribed conditions for benefitting from this disregard can be found in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No 10) (Income Disregard) Regulation 2022 (SI 397/22), as amended.