Ministers Brendan Howlin TD and Michael Noonan TD delivered Budget 2012 on 5th& 6th December 2011. Below are details of the implications of Budget 2012 for people with an intellectual disability and their families.

A Printable version of the below information is available HERE

Social Welfare

Education

Health

PRESS STATEMENTS

HSE cuts to disability services will hit frontline

Inclusion Ireland welcomes Government decision to pause Disability Allowance cuts

Comparing Disability Allowance to Jobseekers shows lack of Government understanding of needs of people with disabilities

Serious concerns at Budget changes to Disability Allowance – Inclusion Ireland

SOCIAL WELFARE

Full Dept. Social Protection Budget statement available HERE and factsheet available HERE

Disability Allowance

Current	2012
€188.00	€188.00

Minister Howlin’s announcements regarding Disability Allowance (DA) provoked outrage, as they included cuts to DA for young adults aged 18-24, and raising the qualifying age for DA from 16 to 18. While both proposals are now paused and will be reviewed, these proposals have not been rolled back, only paused. The proposals were:

1. New claimants of Disability Allowance aged under 25 will have their payment reduced from €188 per week to €100 for people aged 18 to 21 and to €144 per week for people aged 22 to 24. This would have resulted in a crude cut of €4,576 a year for people aged 18 to 21, and €2,288 a year for people aged 22 to 24. The current number of people under 25 receiving Disability Allowance is 11,869 persons, almost 12% of all recipients of Disability Allowance. Government said this change would bring Disability Allowance in line with Jobseekers Allowance;
2. The Government also proposed raising the qualifying age for DA from 16 to 18, while also raising the qualifying age for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) from 16 to 18. This would mean that instead of DA, people with a disability aged 16-18 would get DCA. This would mean a financial difference of €523.07 a month for those affected;

These proposals will now be referred to the Committee on Taxation and Reform. While it is welcome that the proposal has been paused, this cut could still go ahead. Also, the Government have not said if they will consult with people with disabilities and their families on these proposals. While Inclusion Ireland believes there is need for reform of Disability Allowance, this must include a cost of disability analysis. Any review must be done in consultation with people with disabilities and their families, to ensure those with the greatest need have those needs met.

Carer’s Allowance

	Current	2012
- Under Age 66	€204.00	€204.00
- Aged 66 and over	€239.00	€239.00

While, the weekly Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit rates were not changed in Budget 2012, there were two changes which will have very negative repercussions for those affected, namely:

• New applicants for Carer’s Allowance, who are not living with the person for whom they are providing care, will not be entitled to the Household Benefits package, which comprises the Electricity/Gas Allowance, Telephone Allowance and free television licence. The person receiving care may be entitled to the Household Benefits package in their own right. Carers who reside with the person they are caring for will continue to have an entitlement to the Household Benefits. Similarly, non-resident carers in receipt of the package prior to 1st April 2012 will continue to retain the benefit;
• Another major change in Budget 2012 is that the weekly Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Allowances will be counted as means when calculating the rate of Family Income Supplement from January 2012 for new applicants, and on renewal for all others. Family Income Supplement is a weekly tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to people on low pay;

The half rate Carer’s Allowance will continue to be paid to people who are full-time carers and who are receiving another welfare payment. The increased payment for those caring for more than one person will also be retained. Also, the annual Respite Care Grant will continue to be paid at €1,700.

EDUCATION

The overall number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and resource teachers will be maintained at current levels. 
 
There will be no increase in the general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level. However, there will be phased increases in the pupil threshold for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools.  

Department of Education and Skills press statement is available HERE

HEALTH

‎

Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Kathleen Lynch TD, announced a 2% cut to disability services in 2012 but said “the precise level of savings required will vary...and will be determined within the context of HSE’s service planning process”. Inclusion Ireland has heard from service providers that there are potential cuts of 4.5 to 5%. If this is true, it will have serious implications for people using services. However, at the time of writing the Office of the Minister for Disability said cuts would not exceed 3.5%, and this figure should be lower in many areas. Inclusion Ireland will continue to monitor this situation.

Extract from press statement released by Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Kathleen Lynch TD:

The Minister of State noted the challenges facing the disability services as a result of reduced resources in 2012. “An efficiency saving of 2% is being applied to the budget for disability services in 2012”, the Minister said, “but services will also have to make provision for savings in employment and procurement costs which are required of the health services as a whole next year”. The precise levels of savings required will vary depending on the profile of individual service providers and will be determined within the context of the HSE’s service planning process. Services will also have to meet anticipated extra demand from within their budgets in 2012.

“There is only one way forward for disability services in the current environment,” the Minister went on “and that is to accelerate the reform process, supporting more people with disabilities to live independent lives in the community with supports, providing them with a better quality of life and reducing our dependency on costly staff-intensive models of service. The forthcoming Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services will give important pointers in this regard,” the Minister concluded.

Full statement is available HERE

 

INCLUSION IRELAND PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION TO

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL PROTECTION

The Department of Social Protection holds a pre-Budget Forum to give voluntary and community organisations the opportunity to make pre-Budget submissions relating to social welfare schemes. The Forum took place on 16th September 2011. Inclusion Ireland was one of 30 organisations invited to take part. In advance of the pre-Budget forum, Inclusion Ireland sent the Department of Social Protection a submission. Please CLICK HERE to download this submission.