Carer’s Allowance Scheme undervalues care – Gilmartin

Independent candidate in the Manorhamilton Local Electoral Area, James Gilmartin is calling for the abolition of the means test for Carer’s Allowance and establishing a non- means-tested participation income for family carers.

“At its very core, the Carer’s Allowance Scheme undervalues care and this has become increasingly evident on many doorsteps in recent weeks,” Mr Gilmartin said.

Family carers are the glue which keeps society together. At the moment, approximately one in eight recipients of Carer’s Allowance receive a reduced rate and thousands of full-time family carers are excluded altogether due to the means test.

“It is really important that the public understands that in order to receive Carer’s Allowance you must be caring full time,” Mr Gilmartin explained, “it is not a case of helping someone out or, for example, getting their shopping or doing household chores, it is full time care for a person who is medically assessed as needing full time care. The minimum number of hours is 35 hours per week but in reality, it is often twice that and for some family carers it is 24/7.”

Mr Gilmartin outlined that when you satisfy all the criteria you receive a means-tested €248 per week, just €16 more than the basic social welfare allowance.

“We must remember that care is central to how we live and how our societies function, and for far too long family carers have carried the burden of care, meanwhile they save the state approximately €20bn per year or the equivalent of a second HSE.

“Family carers in Leitrim alone save the state €120 million annually. The way we care and the way we care for carers is central to who we are as a society. Family Carers have been doing too much for too little for too long. As a state we must support them by abolishing the means test for Carer’s Allowance and work towards a non-means-tested participation income,” Mr Gilmartin concluded.