FAMILY Carers Ireland said, “the overall package falls short of what is needed to address the financial pressures, cost-of-living, lack of respite and growing demand for care facing families across the country.”
Budget 2027 included a €10 increase in weekly social welfare payments, including Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit, a €5 increase in Fuel Allowance, the introduction of a €500 Cost of Disability Payment and increases in the income thresholds for the Carer’s Allowance.
Commenting on the measures, TD Conor Sheehan said, “The increase in the income disregard for the Carer’s Allowance means test is welcome but the €10 increase in weekly social welfare rates is still below inflation and the meagre €3 increase in the living alone allowance is completely insufficient.”
Although the Fuel Allowance increased by €5, only 4% of those receiving Carer’s Allowance also qualify for the Fuel Allowance. Sheehan expressed disappointment towards this increase, “because full-time care requires people to spend long hours at home, running medical equipment and keeping homes highly heated, the tiny €5 increase offers virtually no relief to the vast majority of freezing households.”
New research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ERSI) suggests that the demand for care for people over the age of 50 will increase by between 49% and 123% by 2040. “This underlines the urgent need to fully fund and deliver the Carer Guarantee, ensuring family carers have access to the information, training, respite and practical supports needed to sustain care at home as demand continues to grow,” the organisation said.
Family Carers Ireland said “Budget 2027 represents a missed opportunity to prepare for Ireland’s future care needs and warned that failing to invest in family carers now will only increase pressure on families and public services in the years ahead. The organisation said the ESRI projections should have been a wake-up call for government, but there is little in today’s package to suggest that warning has been taken seriously.”
“Despite the huge budgetary surplus, there is a severe lack of regular respite, underfunded services and staffing issues with personal assistant hours and these will persist despite the announcement of Budget 2027,” Sheehan explained.