Senator Linda Nelson Murray has welcomed the Government’s announcement of the largest-ever increase in the Carer’s Allowance income disregards, describing it as a significant step towards providing greater support and financial security for carers across Ireland.
Carer’s Allowance is the main income support payment for carers, with almost 108,000 people currently receiving the payment. The Programme for Government commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget, with the aim of phasing out the means test during the lifetime of this Government.
From 2 July 2026, the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance will increase by 60 per cent, rising from €625 to €1,000 for a single person and from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of a couple.
Welcoming the changes, Senator Linda Nelson Murray said: “Carers make an extraordinary contribution to families, communities and our wider society every single day. For too long, many carers have faced financial barriers when trying to balance work and caring responsibilities. These changes represent a major recognition of the invaluable role carers play and will ensure that more people can access the support they deserve.”
The increased income disregards will allow significantly more carers to qualify for Carer’s Allowance while also increasing payments for those currently receiving a reduced rate due to the means test.
Under the new arrangements, a carer in a two-adult household with an income of approximately €110,000 will retain their full Carer’s Allowance payment, while households with incomes of up to approximately €138,000 will continue to qualify for a partial payment.
