James Lawless
Question:257. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will qualify for a carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5619/23]
View answerWednesday, 8 February 2023
Questions (257)
Written answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that carers may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department. The two main social welfare payments for carers providing full-time care are Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit.
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.
Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full time care and is payable within the European Union. It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years (104 weeks).
It is possible to provide care to a care recipient in Portugal under the Carer's Benefit scheme. All parties require a PPSN for the Scheme. Eligibility for the scheme is dependent on meeting various other conditions and criteria. These include that the care recipient must be deemed to require fulltime care and that the carer must have the relevant qualifying PRSI contributions and meet the employment conditions as well as meeting the care provision conditions.
Credited employment contributions (credits) are awarded to recipients of Carer's Benefit for each week of benefit at the same rate as the claimant's last paid contribution. Details of credits are transmitted by the Carer's Benefit computer system to Central Records upon closure of a claim.
If the person concerned wishes to make an application for Carer's Benefit they may complete a CARB1 form (available to download on www.gov.ie) and return it to Carer's Benefit Section, Social Welfare Services Office, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Co. Longford, N39 E4E0.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.