Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 October 2022
13. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of working family payment applications currently awaiting a decision per county in tabular form; the steps that her Department is taking to clear this backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50271/22]
View answer49. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will detail the specifics of the extension of the working family payment; if there is an estimate of the number of additional families that will now be eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49480/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 49 together.
The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment.
It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families. There are approximately 45,000 families with 99,000 children who are currently in receipt of WFP. The estimated spend of WFP in 2022 is €349 million.
Budget 2023 included the provision of a once off €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all WFP recipients and is due to be paid in the week commencing 14th November.
An increase in the income thresholds applicable to WFP customers was also announced in Budget 2023. This increase will take effect from 5th January 2023 and will see the income limit for all family sizes increase by €40. This will see an increase in payment across all awarded claims of €24 per week while also increasing the income qualification thresholds for claimants.
The number of applications for the Working Family Payment reduced during the pandemic but since January 2022 applications have returned to pre pandemic levels.
There is no fixed payment rate for the Working Family Payment with the payment to each applicant being dependent on their employment earnings and their household composition. Each applicant receives a payment unique to their own circumstances. Therefore, each application needs to be reviewed carefully to calculate this payment and evidence of earnings must be submitted and verified.
There are currently 5,531 new applications pending. The average processing time for new Working Family Payment applications is currently 4 weeks and over 97% are cleared within 6 weeks. This represents an improvement of 2 weeks in average processing time compared to the pre-covid, 2019 performance. Renewal applications are processed prior to the expiry of the current claim.
The easiest and fastest ways for customers to make an application for Working Family Payment is online via mywelfare.ie.
