Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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231. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent to which the carer's allowance has been improved in recent times to meet requirements of more persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18707/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government acknowledges the valuable 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 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 on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year.

The Carer’s Allowance scheme is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. In 2024 the expenditure on the Carer’s Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.1 billion and there are currently 96,406 people getting this payment.

Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the means test for Carer's Allowance.

In June 2022 the income disregards were 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 also increased from €20,000 to €50,000.

As part of Budget 2024, the weekly income disregard will be further increased in June from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.

Since June 2022, this amounts to cumulative increases to the income disregards of €117.50 for a single carer and €235.00 for a carer who is part of couple. These are the highest disregards in the Social Welfare system.

These changes meant that carers on a reduced rate moved to a higher payment. In addition, many carers who previously did not qualify for a payment due to their means are brought into the Carers Allowance system for the first time.

In acknowledgement of the particular challenges faced in light of the current cost of living crisis, I announced a number of measures as part of Budget 2024, which directly benefit family carers:

• In November, a €400 a lump sum was paid to people receiving the Carers Support Grant.
• A Christmas Bonus Double Payment was paid to people in receipt of Carers Allowance and Carer’s Benefit.
• January saw an increase of €12 in maximum personal rate of weekly carers payments, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates.
• In late January/early February, a once-off double Cost of Living Support Payment was paid to qualifying Social Protection recipients, including carers.

Notwithstanding these improvements, as part of Budget 2024, I announced my intention to establish an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to examine and review the system of means test for carers payments.

I have asked this Group to report to me on the matter by Quarter 3 of this year.

I can assure the Deputy that I am keenly aware of the key role that family carers play in Irish society and the challenges they face, and I will continue to keep the range of income supports provided to family carers by my department under review.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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232. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the return of the funeral bereavement grant may be envisaged other than by way of an exceptional needs payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18708/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment of €850 for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million. It is estimated that the cost of reintroducing the grant would be close to €31 million per annum and would increase annually. Accordingly, any decision to reinstate such a universal grant would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context, including its actual effectiveness in helping people with funeral costs.

It is worth noting that there are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant.

These include weekly-paid Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory and Non-Contributory) pensions, which are based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner grant of €8,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including State Pension, continue in payment for six weeks following a death, extending to 12 weeks in respect of Carer’s Allowance. Guardian payments are available where someone cares for an orphaned child. A special funeral grant of €850 is paid where a person dies because of an accident at work or occupational disease.

Under the Supplementary Allowance scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income, which may include help with funeral and burial expenses. This is a more targeted and efficient manner of assisting people with bereavement expenses in addition to the range of supports already set out.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.