Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:375. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing each weekly social welfare scheme by €1 per week, in tabular form. [23951/23]
View answerSocial Welfare Payments
Questions (375)
Written answers
The estimated full-year cost of increasing each weekly social welfare scheme by €1 per week is €74 million, as set out in the table below;
|
Social Insurance Schemes |
|
€m |
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
|
27.1 |
|
Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension |
Under 66yrs |
1.5 |
|
|
Over 66Yrs |
4.7 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
Under 66yrs |
0.1 |
|
|
Over 66Yrs |
0.2 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
|
3.1 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
|
0.1 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
|
0.1 |
|
Death Benefit Pension |
|
0.0 |
|
Disablement Pension |
|
0.3 |
|
Illness Benefit |
|
2.8 |
|
Injury Benefit |
|
0.0 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
|
0.1 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
|
1.9 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) |
|
0.1 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
|
0.2 |
|
Health and Safety Benefit |
|
0.0 |
|
Maternity & Adoptive Benefit |
|
1.0 |
|
Paternity & Parent's Benefit |
|
0.4 |
|
|
|
|
|
Social Assistance Schemes |
|
|
|
State Pension (Non Con) |
|
5.0 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
|
0.1 |
|
Widow/ers or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Con) Pension |
|
0.1 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
|
0.0 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
|
2.1 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
Under 66yrs |
2.5 |
|
|
66yrs or Over |
0.1 |
|
Half Rate Carer's Allowance |
Under 66yrs |
0.7 |
|
|
66yrs or Over |
0.4 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) |
|
0.0 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance Max Rate |
|
6.9 |
|
JA age 18 to 24 |
|
0.7 |
|
Disability Allowance |
|
8.8 |
|
Farm Assist |
|
0.3 |
|
Employment Support Schemes (BTWA & BTEA) |
|
0.4 |
|
Employment/Internship Schemes (CE, Tús, RSS etc.) |
|
1.8 |
|
Work Placement Experience Programme |
|
0.0 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
|
0.6 |
|
TOTAL* |
|
74.0 |
*Rounding may affect total
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults where relevant.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (376)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:376. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the qualified child payment by €1 for children under the age of 12 years, and €1 for children over the age of 12 respectively. [23952/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for Qualified Child by €1 for children under 12 years of age is €11.2m.
The estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for a Qualified Child by €1 for children over 12 years of age is €4.2m.
The total estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for a Qualified Child by €1 for children of all ages is €15.4m.
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (377)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:377. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including carer's allowance as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [23953/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.
Taking account of the fact that the Fuel Allowance is a household based payment and that qualification is not just based on receipt of a qualifying payment but on a number of other complex qualifying criteria such as household composition, it is not possible for my Department to provide an accurate projection of the cost of the measure suggested by the Deputy.
The Government values the role of carers in society and it is for this reason that they receive significant income supports from the Department. In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and household benefits (for those who live with the person for whom they care) and the annual Carer's Support Grant (€1,850) in respect of each person for whom they care.
While Carer's Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, a person in receipt of Carer's Allowance may avail of the Fuel Allowance payment in certain circumstances. Fuel Allowance is a household-based payment, and a carer will very often live with and care for a person in receipt of a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. Income from Carer's Allowance is disregarded from the fuel means test if the carer is providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant, his/her qualified spouse/civil partner or cohabitant or qualified child(ren).
If a person is getting certain qualifying social welfare payments and also providing full time care and attention to another person, they can keep their main social protection payment in addition to receiving the half-rate Carer's Allowance. They can also receive an extra half-rate Carer’s Allowance if they care for more than one person. The amount of half-rate Carer’s Allowance received is now disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
Any decision to adjust the rules of Fuel Allowance to make Carer's Allowance a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (378)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:378. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the current rate of fuel allowance by €1 per week. [23954/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing the Fuel Allowance by €1 per week from €33 to €34 over a 28 week season is €12.5 million.
The cost shown above is on a full year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (379)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:379. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending the fuel allowance for one additional week. [23955/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated fully year cost of increasing the Fuel Allowance by one additional week at the current rate of €33 per week is €14.7 million.
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (380)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:380. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including working family payment as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [23956/23]
View answerWritten answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
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.
The estimated cost of extending the Fuel Allowance payment to all those in receipt of the Working Family Payment (WFP) is €23.2 Million. This estimate is based on a weekly Fuel Allowance rate of €33 and a payment period of 28 weeks.
The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.
The Working Family Payment gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources.
While Working Family Payment is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, people may receive Fuel Allowance while on Working Family Payment if they are in receipt of One Parent Family Payment.
In response to an amendment tabled at Committee Stage of the the Social Welfare Bill 2023, I have asked my Department officials to prepare a report on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. The work is ongoing and when finished, I will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (381)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:381. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing the carer’s support grant to €2,000. [23957/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer’s Support Grant to €2,000 is €21.8m.
The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
Questions (382)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:382. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of bringing the current young jobseeker’s rate of €129.70 per week up to the full rate of €220. [23958/23]
View answerWritten answers
The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of payment from €129.70 to €220.00 per week, is €64.9 million. This includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and those on an age-reduced rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2023, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.