Over 100 Mayo family carers get increased payment today 

The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, has introduced changes to the means test that applies to carers so that many more can avail of Carer’s Allowance or potentially receive a higher rate of payment.

The measure was first announced in the Budget 2025 last October and comes into effect today. 

138 Carer’s Allowance recipients in Mayo will receive an increased payment from today. 

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The Carer's Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment. The income disregards that apply to the payment are the highest income disregards in the social welfare system.

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 today mean that 5,280 carers will receive an increase in their Carer’s Allowance payment from today.

Furthermore, the increases make the scheme accessible to more carers who may not have previously qualified for Carer’s Allowance due to their means.

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Announcing the introduction of the changes today, Mayo 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.”

Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, told The Mayo News that she ‘absolutely welcomes’ the widening of the means testing but that ideally, the means testing would be completely abolished. 

"Family carers across Ireland have reached breaking point. The crisis is clear: the financial strain, exhaustion, isolation, and lack of essential supports and services experienced by many is devastating. According to our most recent State of Caring survey, almost 70% of carers face financial hardship, nearly a third cutting back on essentials such as food and heating. Over 72% have never received respite care, severely impacting their physical and mental health. Moreover, more than 15,000 children face unacceptable delays, often over a year, for essential assessments and therapeutic supports.

"Family carers save the State over €20 billion each year. It is imperative that we invest now in a fair non-means tested Family Carer Payment, guaranteed respite care, and critical support services. Now more than ever, we see the importance of effectively supporting family carers in the home and community."

Family Careers Ireland believes that the payment should be based on needs and not on means. They would also like to see the renaming of the ‘Carer’s Allowance’ to ‘participation income payment.’