Louth's Fitzpatrick calls for abolition of means testing for Carer's Allowance

Louth TD, Peter Fitzpatrick, alongside his colleagues in the Regional Group of Deputies are urging the Government to abolish means testing for Carer's Allowance in the upcoming Budget 2025, scheduled for the 1st of October.

This follows the Government’s previous stance of not opposing the Regional Group’s Private Members' Motion of April last, which called for the removal of the means test for Carer's Allowance.

The Regional Group of TD’s have tabled another Private Members' Motion to be debated on Wednesday 25 September on the floor of the Dáil. The motion calls for a roadmap towards abolishing the Carer's Allowance means test by 2027, recognising the essential role family carers play and seeking to support those who dedicate themselves to caring for their loved ones.

“In Ireland today more than 500,000 people, or 1 in 8 of the population, are family carers, forming the backbone of care provision across the country. Despite their indispensable contribution, many carers face inadequate support and recognition, particularly as the cost of living continues to rise”, states Deputy Fitzpatrick.

“Through this motion, we are seeking to acknowledge the immense value of carers by advocating for a shift to a non-means-tested scheme based solely on care needs. Carers are often left financially vulnerable under the current means-tested system, which can tie their income to their partner's earnings, mostly affecting women and leaving them struggling to make ends meet”. 

While many full-time carers are in receipt of the Carer's Support Grant which acknowledges the important role that they play in society, others have still not availed of it, but regardless this in no way meets the financial demands placed on caring families, says the Independent TD.

Deputy Fitzpatrick highlights the findings of the 2022 State of Caring Report by Family Carers Ireland, which revealed that a large number of carers face significant challenges in accessing essential services for their care recipients and feel undervalued by society. He and his Regional Group colleagues are seeking cross-party support for this motion ahead of Budget 2025, stressing the need to address the financial hardship and social isolation many family carers experience.

The proposal to abolish means testing for Carer’s Allowance and establish a non-means tested Participation Income aligns with calls from Family Carers Ireland, Deputy Fitzpatrick adds, who have long advocated for reforms to better support carers. Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, emphasised the urgent need for change:

“For many years Family Carers Ireland have lobbied for the abolition of the means test for Carers Allowance as we believe the current scheme is inadequate, outdated, gender-biased, overly restrictive, and no longer fit for purpose. Despite improvements in recent years, the Carer’s Allowance means test remains one of the most contentious issues amongst family carers.

"Thousands of full-time family carers caring for people medically in need of full-time care, do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance or receive a reduced rate due to their relatively modest household income. It undervalues care work - Carer’s Allowance is the only social welfare payment where recipients are expected to provide full-time work (min 35 hrs) and in return receive just €18 more than the basic social welfare rate. 

"It is inadequate – even before the cost-of-living crisis, households caring for a child with a profound disability face additional weekly costs of up to €244. The abolition of the means test and replacement with a participation income based on the valuable work and contribution family carers make in our society would be a watershed moment for thousands of family carers who feel invisible, undervalued and unsupported”.

The Regional Group motion calls upon the Government to implement the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection to set a roadmap for a non-means tested Participation Income for Family Carers by 2027.