Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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360. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she will take to reduce poverty among carers, given the recent report from an organisation (details supplied) showing 69% of carers find it difficult to make ends meet. [28928/24]

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.

Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements to the payments for carers.

In 2021, I increased the annual Carer’s Support Grant to €1,850, the highest rate since its introduction. The Carer's Support Grant is automatically paid to people in receipt of Carer's Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and Domiciliary Care allowance. Other carers not in receipt of a carer’s payment may also be eligible for the Grant. On Thursday 6 June some 132,523 carers received the grant in respect of 149,361 care recipients, at an estimated cost of €275 million.

I have delivered on the Programme Government commitment to provide a pension solution for carers. From January 2024, a new Long-Term Carers Contribution scheme was introduced. Under the scheme, a person who has been a full-time carer for an incapacitated dependent for at least 20 years (1,040 weeks), can get Long-Term Carers Contributions to cover gaps in their contribution record which can help them qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). We know this reform is a great comfort and relief to the many carers across the country who have spent their lives caring for loved ones. As of June, over 3,400 people have been awarded long-term carers contributions since the scheme was opened. Of these, almost 600 are over the age of 66 and have been awarded over 20 years’ long-term caring contributions, resulting in an increased rate of State Pension Contributory (SPC) or qualification for the SPC for the first time.

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 97,127 people receiving this payment.

• 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.
• Since then, in June 2024, the weekly income disregard was further increased from €350 to €450 for a single person, and from €750 to €900 for carers with a spouse/partner.

These changes mean that carers on a reduced rate move 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 also 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.

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 as part of the annual budgetary process.

I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.