Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigi il” of 7th June, 2024.

I, HEATHER HUMPHREYS, Minister for Social Protection, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 4 (as adapted by the Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 ( S.I. No. 447 of 2020 )) and 100(3) and Rules 1(5) and 4(3) of Part 5 of Schedule 3 to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (No. 26 of 2005) hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation and construction

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 6) (Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Allowance – Earnings Disregard) Regulations 2024.

(2) These Regulations and the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations 2007 to 2024 shall be construed together as one and may be cited together as the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations 2007 to 2024.

Definitions

2. In these Regulations—

“Principal Regulations” means the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations 2007;

“Regulations of 2021” means the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No. 17) (Earnings Disregard) Regulations 2021 ( S.I. No. 783 of 2021 )).

Commencement

3. These Regulations come into operation on 6 June 2024.

Earnings disregard

4. The Principal Regulations are amended—

(a) in article 57 (amended by article 4(a)(i) of the Regulations of 2021) —

(i) in sub-article (3), by the substitution of “€450.00” for “€350.00”, and

(ii) in sub-article (4), by the substitution of “€450.00” for “€350.00”,

and

(b) in article 144 (amended by article 4(b)(i) of the Regulations of 2021) —

(i) in paragraph (a), by the substitution of “€450.00” for “€350.00”, and

(ii) in paragraph (b), by the substitution of “€900.00” for “€750”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

31 May, 2024.

HEATHER HUMPHREYS,

Minister for Social Protection.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations provide for increases in the earnings disregards, applicable to Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Allowance, which form part of the Budget measures announced on 10 October 2023.

In the case of Carer’s Benefit, the weekly earnings limit is being increased from €350.00 to €450.00 per week with effect from 6 June 2024.

In the case of Carer’s Allowance, the weekly means disregard is being increased from €350.00 to €450.00 for a single person and from €750.00 to €900.00 for a couple. The increases in the disregard will take effect from 6 June 2024.