Means testing of carer's allowance to be scrapped by Meath Co Co

Means testing of carer's allowance to be scrapped by Meath Co Co, a preliminary budget meeting was told today.

Meath Co Co Council confirmed that it is to abolish the assessment of carer's allowance for local authority tenants from January 1st.

Currently, local authority rents are based on a system called differential rents. This means that the amount of rent you pay depends on the amount of your total household income. Each local authority operates its own scheme.

The assessment and calculation of rent is at each respective local authority's discretion. Some assess the full amount of carer's allowance, others base it on a percentage, while some eliminate it all together.

Meath Co Council currently assesses the full amount of Carer's Allowance when calculating rent, however that is all to change from January 2025.

There had been plans for the Dept of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review the Differential Rent Scheme and develop a standardised model however these plans were shelved one year after the Housing For All plan was launched, citing the “ongoing cost of living crisis” for the decision.

In addition to this, spend is up on community infrastructure, road construction, road repair and maintenance and on housing.

Mayor of Navan, Cllr Eddie Fennessy said it was "good news for the people of Meath."

"In my six years as a councillor we have seen budget increases of almost €100 million euro," he said.

" It is a testament to the prudent management of our finances by Fiona Fallon and her team and indeed, the CEO and directors of services." added the mayor.

"There is much to welcome. From a personal perspective, I welcome the continued investment in transportation projects in Navan.

"Particularly, the 2030 scheme, the bridge over the River Blackwater and crucially the three LDR roads which will be developed over the coming years."

Fennessy said the biggest success was the commitment given to stop assessing carers allowance for rental purposes.

"Meath Council's assessment of carer's allowance at 22.5% was one of the highest in the state," he said.

"It had a punitive effect on struggling carers who save the state millions every year by caring for vulnerable family members in the home." added the Sinn Fein councillor.

"Over the past year, I engaged with a number of local carers and a national carer's lobby group to address this issue.

"I submitted motions & questions to the council, indeed, the council wrote to the minister on our behalf last February.

"All we asked for was a financial break for carers, an initiative that would make caring in the home a little easier for so many families in Co. Meath.

"Our call was for a cessation or at a very minimum, a reduction to the chargeable rate of assessment, in line with other local authorities.

"Today's announcement of a complete cessation of carers allowance assessment on local authority housing in Meath, is most welcome indeed.

"The Executive has listened to the concerns of local carers. Families across the county will be very happy with their decision. I am delighted for each and every one of them. "