Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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248. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is possible to claim an additional half-rate carer’s allowance in respect of another person when already in receipt of full-rate carer’s allowance for a primary care recipient, that is, the main social welfare payment is already carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20356/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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.

The two principal conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are that full time care and attention is required and provided, and that a means test is satisfied. The application of the 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.

There are a number of basic principles which underpin the Irish social welfare system, one of which is the general principle of one person, one payment, which applies across the system. People qualifying for two social welfare payments receive the higher payment for which they are eligible.

There are a limited number of exceptions in the social welfare system to the general principle of one person, one payment. In 2007 a Half-rate Carer’s Allowance was introduced for certain people with another social welfare entitlement. Under these arrangements, people in receipt of certain social welfare payments, other than Carer’s Allowance or Benefit, who are providing full-time care and attention can retain their main payment and receive another payment, depending on their means, the maximum of which is equivalent to a half-rate Carer’s Allowance. Therefore, a person who has an entitlement to another social welfare payment, can retain that payment and continue to receive up to a Half-rate Carer’s Allowance. These arrangements apply to almost all weekly social welfare payments and to people in receipt of qualified adult allowances. Recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance or Benefit are not eligible given the job seeking nature of these payments.

In the situation outlined by the Deputy, where a person is caring full-time for 2 people and is in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, a Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payment is not payable. In that situation, a higher rate of Carer’s Allowance is payable. The current maximum weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance for someone aged under 66 and caring for 1 person is €236. Where that person is caring for 2 or more people, the rate is increased to €354. For a carer aged 66 or over, the respective rates are €274 and €411. It should be noted, that in both of these instances, the additional amount is equivalent to the Half-rate Carer's Allowance payment.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.