Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia explained today that the carers pension will now be called the allowance added for carers (ICRA), and announced a number of changes to the benefit.

This social benefit is for couples or single individuals to take care of an elderly person at home, or for one spouse caring for the other who, for example, was seriously injured and is bed-ridden at home, or suffers from an illness.

This benefit will increase from the applicant receiving €105.30 per week up to €140 per week. It will apply to those patients who will rank between 0-8 on the Barthel scale (high dependency), and each patient will be assessed through a multi-disciplinary board.

The benefit will include a means test, he explained, thus meaning that it is irrespective of past income. The applicant who is taking care of the patient, however, must not be working and must also reside at the same address of the patient.

Those who are currently on the carers pension will automatically be moved over to this benefit come 1 January.

The person also cannot receive any other benefits if taking this one, however patients will have the option to choose the more advantageous one.

.The carers will also continue to receive National Insurance credits, and the benefit is non-taxable.

A secondary measure called the allowance for carers, which was previously called social assistance for carers, is for those on medium dependency (Barthel scale 9-15), and the amount will received for the benefit will total €90 per week.

For this particular benefit, applicants taking care of the individual must be single, and this benefit is means tested. The applicant must also live at the same address as the patient, and must not be working. The carer will be entitled to the pink card.

In both cases, applicants and patients must go before a multi-disciplinary board before receiving the benefit.