Improvements set to be made to Carer’s Allowance means test

The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, has announced that there will be improvements made to the Government’s supports for carers.

The Carer's Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment and for the second time in two years, Minister Humphreys is set to introduce changes to the means test that applies to carers. 

This will mean that many more people can avail of Carer’s Allowance or potentially receive a higher rate of payment.

The weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance has increased to €450 per week for single carers, and to €900 per week for a couple. 

The income disregards that apply to the Carer’s Allowance payment are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system.

Meanwhile, the income limit to Carer’s Benefit, which is a ‘social insurance based payment paid to people who leave work or reduce their hours to care for a person in need of full-time care’, will also increase from €350 to €450.

Speaking out about the changes being made today, Minister Humphreys revealed, “Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection, I have always worked to support our carers and their families”.

“I have increased the weekly carers payments in each of the past three Budgets, provided long term carers access to a State pension for the first time, increased the Carer’s Support Grant to its highest level of €1,850 and increased the capital disregard for carer’s to €50,000”.

“One of the areas that our carers have raised with me regularly is the Carer’s means test. As part of Budget 2022, I introduced the first changes to the means test in 14 years and today I am going even further”.

Humphreys went on to confirm, “From last week, I increased the weekly earnings disregard by €100 to €450 for a single person and by €150 to €900 a week for a couple”.

“These changes are significant and will mean many carers currently on a reduced rate of payment due to means will now qualify for an increased rate. As well as that, those carers who may not have qualified for a payment at all up to this point may now be able to access Carer’s Allowance”.