Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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423. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection how many additional carers are now qualifying for the carer’s allowance on the basis of the changes to the means test introduced in 2022, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31061/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Carer's allowance (CA) 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.

Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant and includes earnings, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.

As part of Budget 2022, I introduced measures which allow carers to have a higher weekly household income and a higher level of savings, and still qualify for a CA payment.

These measures, which took effect from 2 June 2022, included an increase in the income disregard from €332.50 to €350 for a single person and from €665 to €750 for a couple. In addition, the amount of capital disregarded in the means test increased from €20,000 to €50,000.

These significant changes mean more carers now qualify for the payment while those in receipt of a reduced payment had their payment increased.

As there are a number of qualifying criteria for CA and we do not record each individual criteria met, it is not possible to produce information on carers specifically impacted by changes to the means test. However, there has been a rise in those in receipt of CA since the introduction of the changes and I have attached a breakdown of the total number of carers in receipt of CA by county in tabular form in May 2022 and May 2023.

Table: Carers in receipt of Carers Allowance May 2022 and May 2023

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.