Income disregard for Galway carers sees 250 per cent increase under new reforms
Over 200 full-time carers in County Galway can avail of an increase in their Carer’s Allowance this week.
Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, has announced a series of improvements to the government supports available to carers. These include changes to the means test and income disregard, allowing carers to qualify for higher payments in recognition of their service.
The means test refers to the assessment of a person's financial resources to determine eligibility for social welfare payments. The income disregard is the portion of income that is not counted when this assessment is carried out.
Under the new measures, the weekly income disregard for a single carer has increased from €175 to €625, while the disregard for a couple has risen from €350 to €1,250. These changes will benefit more than 5,000 carers nationwide.
Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested payment mainly for carers on low incomes who provide full-time care for certain individuals. This payment is currently the highest in the welfare system.
Significant improvements have also been made to Carer’s Benefit, a social insurance-based payment for people who leave work or reduce their working hours to care for someone full-time. The income limit for Carer’s Benefit has increased from €450 to €625.
Since January 2025, this benefit has also been extended to self-employed carers.
Minister Calleary said that the increase in disregards will take effect immediately, identifying that “99% of existing Carer’s Allowance recipients will now get the full rate of their entitlement.”
“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.”