Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she intends to increase the income disregard for the carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59214/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The main income supports to carers provided by my Department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Spending on these payments in 2022 is expected to exceed €1.5 billion.

A more generous means assessment for Carer’s Allowance has been called for over successive Budgets by organisations representing carers. In recognition of the vital role that carers play in society, as part of Budget 2022 I announced significant improvements to the means test for Carer’s Allowance. These were the first changes to the means test in 14 years:

- 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 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.

The changes outlined came into effect on 2 June this year 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 income disregard and means test for Carer’s Allowance is the most generous within the social welfare system.

There are no plans to further increase the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance at this time. As the Deputy is aware, any additional changes to the means test would have to be considered as part of the annual budgetary process.