Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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138. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will consider removing the means test for carer’s allowance in the case of a parent who gives up full-time employment to care for their child who is medically diagnosed as incapacitated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59272/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 means test which applies 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.

While the age and the level of care required by those being cared for may be different, this does not affect the rates of the allowance, which is intended to provide an income support for the carer and does not depend on individual care requirements.

The conditions attached to payment of Carer’s Allowance are consistent with the overall conditions that apply to social assistance payments generally.

This system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need with the means test playing the critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency - be that illness, disability, unemployment or caring.

The application of a means-test not only ensures that the recipient has an income need but also that scarce resources are targeted to those with the greatest need.

As part of Budget 2022, I announced significant improvements to the means test for Carer’s Allowance. In recognition of the vital role that carers play in society, I increased the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance from €332.50 to €350 a week for single carers and from €665 to €750 for carers with a spouse/partner.

These are the most generous income disregards in the social welfare system and the increase in the earnings limit enables more carers with modest incomes to become eligible for the scheme.

I also announced an increase to the capital disregard from €20,000 to €50,000 for Carer’s Allowance. This allows carers who have accumulated relatively modest savings, often to provide care for a loved one, to retain an entitlement to Carer's Allowance.

These changes, which came into effect from Thursday 2 June this year, were the first changes that had been made to the Carer’s Allowance means test in 14 years.

In addition to Carer's Allowance, my department also provides a non-means tested payment to carers in the form of Carer’s Benefit. Furthermore, the Carer's Support Grant - which I 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.

Any changes to payment schemes, such as the one outlined by the Deputy, would have implications for expenditure and would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.