Ireland Pays Its Carers What They’re Worth. Why Doesn’t Britain?

While Ed Davey speaks up for carers in Parliament, it’s Ireland that shows the rest of Europe how it should be done. It’s time Britain caught up and treated carers with the dignity and support they deserve.

By Sean Ash


Carers are the unsung heroes of our society. They hold families together, they catch the people who would otherwise fall, and they do it often without thanks, without pay, and without rest. When Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, stood up and spoke for carers in Parliament, it wasn’t just political theatre. It was one of the few moments in British politics where someone genuinely put carers front and centre. And it’s about time more followed suit. Because if we truly cared about the people who give care, the United Kingdom would be doing a lot more than it is now.


In Ireland, they’re showing what real support looks like. Carers under 66 receive €260 a week, and those over 66 receive €298. That’s not a token gesture. That’s a recognition of value. There’s also a €2,000 annual Carer’s Support Grant given to those providing full-time care. And perhaps just as importantly, Ireland has raised the income disregard threshold so that carers aren’t punished for trying to stay afloat. It’s a system designed with dignity in mind. The state sees what carers do, and it responds with meaningful support. And here’s the result: not only are carers better supported, but disabled people are too. Because when the person looking after you isn’t broken down by stress, fatigue, and poverty, the quality of care improves tenfold.


In the UK, we currently pay carers £83.30 per week. That’s it. Carers must provide at least 35 hours of care and stay below a strict earnings limit. And even with a small recent increase to £196 per week in allowable earnings, it still leaves many living on the edge. This isn’t support. It’s survival. We are relying on the goodwill of people to do one of the hardest jobs imaginable and rewarding them with barely enough to cover the basics. It’s no wonder carers burn out, feel undervalued, and in some cases, are forced to give up.


Compare this with other European nations, and it becomes clear how much of a difference intention makes. In France, the Caregiver’s Daily Allowance stands at around €64.50 a day. That may sound decent on paper, but it’s limited in who qualifies and doesn’t compare to the steady structure Ireland offers. Spain provides payments between €300 and €715 a month depending on dependency levels, yet support for informal carers remains inconsistent and underdeveloped. Even Belgium, with its regional schemes, lacks a unified national approach to recognising carers as a crucial part of the social fabric.


Ireland’s commitment to carers has not gone unnoticed. In 2023, Family Carers Ireland was awarded the European Citizen’s Prize by the European Parliament, recognising the organisation’s outstanding work in promoting solidarity, support, and care across Irish communities. It was a moment of pride not just for the organisation, but for the nation itself, standing as proof that when you invest in carers, you invest in the strength and compassion of your country. This award was not handed out lightly. It was earned through real, consistent care for carers and those they look after.


The truth is, many countries in Europe are still trailing behind, and remarkably, the UK is ahead of some. But Ireland is in a league of its own. It leads not just in financial terms but in spirit. It is saying to its carers, you matter, your work is real, and we will not let you do it alone. The UK could say the same, but it doesn’t. Not yet.


If we are serious about protecting the vulnerable, we must first support those who care for them. Carers are not a burden. They are a saving grace. And they are worth every penny. It is not radical to pay people fairly for holding our society together. It is common sense. It is justice. It is what any compassionate nation should do.


So the next time we ask where money should go, let it go to the people who hold hands through hospital visits, who lift and bathe and feed their loved ones, who give up their careers and sleep and time so others can live with dignity. Let it go to the carers. And let us, finally, follow Ireland’s example.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Rabbit Hole Goes Deeper: Following the Paper Trail That Funded Brexit

Image
Unanswered questions, dissolved companies, and £8 million in political donations that never fully appeared in any account. What began as a campaign promise ended in a financial mystery. By Sean Ash In June 2016, Britain voted to leave the European Union. The result was close. Just over 1.2 million votes separated Leave from Remain. In the years since, debate has focused on sovereignty, trade, and immigration. But beneath it all, there’s a deeper question. One that hasn’t been answered. Where did the money come from? And where did it go? Arron Banks, the businessman behind Leave.EU, declared that he gave a total of £8 million in support of the Leave campaign. That money, according to Electoral Commission records, included both loans and donations, some from him personally, others through companies he controlled. It was the largest declared donation of the entire referendum. But after months of personal investigation, digging through company filings, electoral data, and public records...
Read more

Asylum Seekers Come On Boats Because We Told Them To

Image
  The law requires them to reach our shores—so why are we punishing them for it? By Sean Ash Every day, headlines shout about the small boats arriving on British shores. Politicians speak of invasion, media outlets stir public outrage, and many citizens are left wondering why this is happening and who is to blame. But behind the noise and confusion lies a truth that very few are willing to confront. This is not a crisis imposed on Britain by the outside world. It is a situation created by Britain itself. The system that now brings desperate people across the Channel is not a foreign invention. It is a British design, rooted in our own laws, treaties, and political choices. In the aftermath of the Second World War, Britain played a central role in drafting the 1951 Refugee Convention. This legal document was created in response to the horrors of war and genocide, particularly the plight of Jewish refugees who had been turned away by countries that refused to offer them safe haven. T...
Read more

Reform Supporters Drop Race Card After Learning Attacker Was White

Image
A tragic attack, a flood of assumptions, and a silence that followed inconvenient truth By Sean Ash Today should have been a celebration in Liverpool. A Premier League title win, a victory parade, fans gathered in joy. But that celebration turned to horror when a car mowed down innocent civilians. Before the facts were clear, Reform UK supporters and others on the far right rushed to social media. Not with thoughts for the victims. Not with concern or prayers. But with insinuation. “Place your bets.” “Probably one of the usual suspects.” “Anyone got the ethnicity yet?” “Religion of peace again?” We have seen this script before. When tragedy strikes, the immediate instinct for some is to point fingers, always at minorities, always at outsiders. To them, every act of violence is another opportunity to reaffirm their biases. But then came the truth. A 53-year-old white British man. Suddenly, the narrative collapsed. The tone shifted fast. The same people who were fixated ...
Read more