Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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381. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline how working part-time hours affects a person’s entitlement to jobseeker's allowance; how it affects entitlement to jobseeker's benefit; and the number of claimants in each case who receive payment while working part-time. [19553/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The main social welfare schemes for people who are unable to find full-time employment are the social insurance contribution-based Jobseeker's Benefit and the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance. These schemes allow a person to work up to three days per week, where they are fully unemployed for at least four in any seven consecutive days. Among the qualifying conditions for both schemes are that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work.

Employees who are working up to 3 days per week may receive Jobseeker's Benefit for the days of unemployment. The amount of Jobseeker's Benefit paid is based on a 5-day week. This means that for each day that a person is employed, 1/5th of the normal rate of Jobseeker's Benefit is deducted from their payment.

Jobseeker's Allowance is a mean-tested social assistance payment for unemployed people who have either not paid enough social insurance contributions to qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit or have exhausted their Jobseeker's Benefit entitlement and are seeking full-time work. Earnings from employment are assessed as part of the means assessment. Where a claimant or their spouse or partner has earnings from insurable employment and they are working up to 3 days per week, earnings less PRSI deductions, superannuation, the pension levy and trade union subscriptions are assessed as means. For each person, there is a maximum income disregard of €60 per week or up to €20 for each day of unemployment and the balance is then assessed at 60%.

If a person leaves their job or reduces their days of employment they may be regarded as having deprived themselves of an income. In these circumstances they may be disqualified from payment for up to 9 weeks as they have reduced their days of employment voluntarily. However, as all cases are decided individually, based on the facts provided by the person, the Deciding Officer may find that the reason for the reduction in days of employment is reasonable. The person is still required to satisfy all of the qualifying conditions to receive the payment, including being capable of work, available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work.

The number of casual Jobseeker’s Benefit recipients working part-time for March 2023 was 5,947. The number of casual Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients working part-time for March 2023 was 17,389.

If the Deputy has a specific case in mind, the person concerned should be advised to contact their local Intreo Centre to discuss the appropriate support for their particular circumstances.

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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382. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of carer's allowance for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19559/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

A means review in this case was carried out on 2 February 2023. The rate of payment to the person concerned has now been updated to full-rate Carer's Allowance with effect from 19 January 2023. This payment plus arrears due will be paid to their nominated account on 27 April 2023.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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383. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will remove the means test for carer’s allowance, given the vital role played by carers and the significant contribution they make to the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19591/23]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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384. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will increase the carer’s allowance income threshold for carers, given the significant increase in the cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19593/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together.

The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy.

The key role of my Department is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities. The payments provided are an income support to people who cannot earn, or can only earn a limited income, and who have no other means or resources to rely upon.

The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending in 2023 is expected to amount to almost €1.6 billion on these payments.

Carer’s Allowance is primarily aimed at carers on low incomes who look after people in need of full-time care and attention. 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. The application of the means test ensures that the limited resources available can be targeted at those with the greatest income need.

Removal of the means assessment for Carer’s Allowance, as the Deputy proposes, would not only change the nature of the scheme from a targeted income maintenance support for those most in need and providing full-time care it would, in effect, create a new universal social protection scheme. This would give rise to a very significant annual cost and could only be considered within a wider budgetary context.

A more generous means assessment for Carer’s Allowance has been called for over successive Budgets by organisations representing carers and 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. These are the highest disregards in the social welfare system.

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 also not means-tested. As part of Budget 2023, I increased the monthly payment by €21 to its current rate of €330.00.

As part of Budget 2023, I announced further improvements to payments for carers including:

• A €12 increase in the maximum rate of Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate.
• The Half-rate Carer’s Allowance is now disregarded in the means assessment for Fuel Allowance.
• A double payment for carers paid in October 2022 benefitting over 118,000 carers.
• A €500 payment for people receiving Carer’s Support Grant paid in November 2022.
• Carers received the Christmas Bonus Double Payment.