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The Journal
6 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Where is the Government at with plans to abolish means testing of the carer's allowance?
DURING LAST YEAR'S general election, disability services and support for carers became a flash point that political parties were keen to capitalise on. All of Ireland's main political parties, including Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, committed to abolishing the means test for the carer's allowance. After both parties re-entered government with the Regional Independents, they made a commitment in the Programme for Government to 'significantly increase the income disregards for Carer's Allowance in each Budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government'. 'Income disregards' refers to the amount of money a person can earn per week while still qualifying for the Carer's Allowance. What is the Carer's Allowance? The Carer's Allowance is a weekly payment from the Department of Social Protection to people who care for someone because of their age; an illness; or a disability. The payment is means-tested, which means that a person's income and assets are taken into account by the Department when determining if they qualify for the payment. In 2025, the expenditure on the Carer's Allowance scheme is estimated to be over €1.2 billion. There are currently 100,853 recipients of Carer's Allowance. Advertisement So, where do things currently stand? As part of last year's Budget, the income disregard was increased from €450 to €625 for a single person and €900 to €1250 for carers with a spouse/partner. This took effect from 3 July 2025. Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary said this change will make the scheme more accessible to people who previously did not qualify. The increase in the disregard means that 5,280 current recipients will receive a higher payment. As a result of this, the Department says 99% of existing Carer's Allowance recipients will now get the full rate of their entitlement. However, many people who are caring for a loved one say this does not go far enough. Family Carers Ireland is appealing to the government to increase the income disregard to €750 for a single person and €1500 for a couple in this year's Budget. The organisation also wants to see the payment increased from €260 to €325 per week. With approximately three months to go until the Budget, for now, it remains unclear what approach the Social Protection Minister will take. What we do know is that, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, there will be a further increase in the income disregard. Responding to a PQ on the matter last week, Minister Calleary said: 'It is important that we make progress in a way that is sustainable and which does not unduly limit our scope to support other vulnerable groups in society.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
14-07-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Cash boost as €160 or €285 social welfare payment hit accounts of 126,000 TODAY as ‘check eligibility' alert issued
THOUSANDS of families are set for a major boost as a huge social welfare payment is set to land in their accounts within hours. Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, has announced that over 126,000 families will receive the 2 Dara Calleary announced the boost can still be bagged up until September 30 Credit: PA 2 Thousands of families will see €160 or €285 cash sent to their bank accounts Credit: Getty Images - Getty The payment is designed to support eligible families with the There are two rates of payment for the scheme, which are €160 for children aged 4 to 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over in The payments totalling more than a whopping €47,500,000 will be made this week to over 126,000 families with over 221,000 They will be notified if an automated payment is sent to families by post or through their MyWelfare account on their official website. READ MORE ON CASH BOOSTS Commenting on the boost for families, Calleary said: "I am delighted to announce that the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payments for 2025 commence from today. "This scheme is so important in terms of supporting "This week, my Department will issue automatic payments to over 126,000 families in respect of over 221,000 children." For those who haven't been notified or applied for the major boost, the scheme is also open for applications until September 30 for eligible families. Most read in Money The payment will be issued once the application is processed and if eligible for it. He added: "The costs associated with children both starting and returning to school can put a lot of financial pressure on families throughout the country. Jack Chambers discusses his family budget & criticism not enough done for kids on surgery wait lists "The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance provides valuable support to families to assist with these costs and I would urge anybody who has not yet applied to check their eligibility for the scheme." REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ALLOWANCE You can get the payment if you have a child that qualifies, and: You are getting a qualifying social welfare payment, or are participating in an approved employment, education or training support scheme. See Your household is within the BSCFA income limits (see 'Income limits' below) You and each child you claim the BSCFA for are residents in Ireland. If you are getting a social welfare payment, you must be getting a Child Support Payment (previously called an Increase for a Qualified Child or IQC) with it, but there are some exceptions to this. If you get a qualifying social welfare payment but don't get a Child Support Payment, you can claim the payment if: The rules of your payment do not provide for a child payment (for example, Maternity Benefit and Adoptive Benefit), or Your spouse or partner's income is over the specified limit for your payment, but your overall household income is within the BSCFA income limits. However, you must meet the other rules to get a BSCFA. Your child must be aged between 4-17 on 30 September in the year you apply, or aged between 18-22 and returning to full-time second-level education in a recognised school or college in the autumn of the year you apply. And your HOUSEHOLD INCOME Your total household income must be less than the amounts set out in the table below. The total household income includes: Your weekly social welfare or Health Service Executive payments, and Any other income you may have, including wages Capital (such as savings, investments, and any property you have excluding your own home) When your income is assessed from your wages, the department looks at your income before it's taxed, but they don't include PRSI and a standard travel allowance of up to €20 a week. However, some social welfare payments are not included in the means test. Payments not included in the means test include child benefits, rent supplements, working family payments, higher-level education grants, blind welfare allowances, and so on. All capital is assessed in the means test, including savings, investments, shares and property that's not your own home. The income limit is increased by €62 for each additional dependent child.
Irish Independent
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Government ‘doing terrible job' of simplifying pensions, survey shows
A survey of financial advisers found half feel the Government has failed to make pensions easier to understand for consumers. It comes as Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary has launched what he said was a major national awareness campaign for the new auto-enrolment pension, called My Future Fund. A survey of more than 130 financial advisers nationwide, undertaken by leading pension trustee, Independent Trustee Company, found one in three believe the Government has done a 'terrible job' around simplifying pensions. It said confusion and inequities around the planned auto-enrolment pension system will only act to 'muddy the pension landscape' rather than simplify it. More than half of the pension advisers surveyed feel the Government has failed to live up to its commitment to make pensions easier to understand for consumers. In the early 2000s the then government made a commitment to simplify the complex array of pension options available in the hope of promoting better retirement savings among individuals. It has reiterated its commitment to this objective in recent years. But more than half of financial advisers surveyed are unhappy with what the Government has done. Of these, one in three advisers believe the Government has done a 'terrible job' around pension simplification and has 'actually made things worse'. And one in five describe the Government's work as substandard, saying it 'has not had any real impact'. Only one in 10 feel the Government has done a good job, adding while progress has been made, there is more to do. Head of business development with the Independent Trustee Company, Glenn Gaughran said: 'At a time when the Government clearly needs to boost pension coverage in this country, it is worrying that so many pension advisers feel the Government is losing its battle to simplify pensions.' He said auto-enrolment has a real potential to address the country's pension coverage gap by automatically enrolling workers without existing pension plans. 'However, the rollout of auto-enrolment has been delayed time and time again, with the scheme now to start on January 1, 2026.' Mr Calleary said there will be targeted communication and intense engagement with key stakeholders. The fund will see employers match the amount saved by their employees, while the State will then top up each participant's savings by €1 for every €3 they contribute. Mr Calleary said the fund would transform how people save for their retirement. All employees aged between 23 and 60 who are not in an occupational pension scheme and earning over €20,000 will be automatically enrolled.
RTÉ News
07-07-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
New awareness campaign for pension auto-enrolment scheme
A national campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the new pension auto-enrolment scheme which is now called "My Future Fund". The multimedia advertising campaign will inform people about how the new system will work, who can participate, and what it will mean for them. The scheme will be rolled out from 1 January 2026 and is designed to help over 800,000 workers to begin saving for their retirement. All employees not already in an occupational pension scheme, aged between 23 and 60 and earning over €20,000 across all of their employments, will be automatically enrolled in the new scheme. It will be gradually phased in over a decade, with both employer and employee contributions starting at 1.5% and increasing every three years by 1.5% until they eventually reach 6% by year 10. The State will top up contributions by €1 for every €3 saved by the employee. This is in addition to the €3 that will also be contributed by the employer. Eligible employees will be automatically enrolled but will have the choice after six months participation to opt-out or suspend participation. "An important message we want to get across to employers is that My Future Fund has been specifically designed to keep employer administration to a minimum," said Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary. "A new body, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) will handle the bulk of this work," the Minister said. "That includes identifying and enrolling eligible employees, managing opt-ins, opt-outs and suspensions, calculating contributions, and notifying employers of amounts due through payroll," Mr Calleary said. The start date for pension auto-enrolment was originally 30 September 2025 but was delayed to January 2026. The Government said it changed the date to align the new system with the standard tax year and to give additional time for payroll providers to get their systems ready. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions criticised the delay, describing it as a bitter pill to swallow for the more than 800,000 workers without a workplace pension.
Dublin Live
05-07-2025
- Business
- Dublin Live
Social welfare Ireland: Major changes to scheme with thousands to receive higher payment
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Major changes were implemented to the Carer's Allowance this week that will make thousands of recipients eligible to receive higher rates of payment. The changes to the scheme will also mean more Carers can now avail of Carer's Allowance. The weekly income disregard for Carer's Allowance is now increased by €175 to €625 per week for single carers, and by €350 to €1,250 per week for a couple. The changes announced mean that 5,280 carers will receive an increase in their Carer's Allowance payment from this week. Meanwhile, the Carer's Benefit income limit will also increase from €450 to €625. Announcing the introduction of the changes today, Minister Calleary said: 'I am delighted to announce these significant increases to the weekly income disregards for Carer's Allowance. "One of the areas that carers have raised with me regularly is the Carer's means test. The changes I am announcing today will make the scheme more accessible to people who previously did not qualify. "The increase in the disregards also mean that 5,280 current recipients will receive a higher payment from today. Consequently, 99% of existing Carer's Allowance recipients will now get the full rate of their entitlement. "These means test improvements are in addition to changes made to the Carer's Support Grant, which was increased to €2,000, its highest ever level, and paid to 138,000 carers in June. "The Programme for Government commits to significantly increase the income disregards for Carer's Allowance in each Budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. The changes I am announcing today represent a significant step forward towards reaching this commitment.' Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
