Ruth Coppinger
Question:1215. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing all weekly jobseeker's payments and the back to education allowance to €188, €200. €204 and €210. [34588/17]
View answerThursday, 13 July 2017
Questions (1215, 1218, 1220)
Ruth Coppinger
Question:1218. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of restoring the fuel allowance by extending the season by six weeks. [34591/17]
View answerRuth Coppinger
Question:1220. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing all weekly social welfare rates to €200, €204 and €210. [34593/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1215, 1218 and 1220 together.
It should be noted that the rate of back to education allowance for jobseekers on age-related reduced rates of payment will increase to the €193 rate from September 2017, as announced in Budget 2017. The full year cost in 2018 of increasing the weekly rates of jobseeker’s allowance and supplementary welfare allowance, is detailed in the table. I understand that the Deputy is referring to increasing the weekly rate paid to those who are on age-related reduced rates of payment to the current weekly rate of rate of €193 (instead of €188 per week stated in the question).
|
Increase weekly rates to: |
Cost - € million |
|
€193.00 |
111.3 |
|
€200.00 |
200.1 |
|
€204.00 |
250.0 |
|
€210.00 |
325.7 |
The full year cost of extending the duration of the fuel allowance season by six weeks is estimated to be €53 million in 2018.
The full year cost in 2018 of increasing the weekly rates of payment (where they are below the proposed rates) to social welfare recipients who are aged under 66 is detailed in the table below:
|
Increase weekly rates to: |
Cost - € million |
|
€200.00 |
321.4 |
|
€204.00 |
456.2 |
|
€210.00 |
661.0 |
The costings listed above include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant. It should also be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2018.