Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2023
124. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection if there are any measures under consideration by her Department to reduce poverty levels in single parent families that were not announced in the Budget. [54181/23]
View answerI was pleased that Budget 2024 included a social welfare package worth almost €2.3 billion, the largest in the history of the State. This extensive package includes a number of measures which will benefit lone parents.
In December, recipients of One-Parent Family Payment, Jobseeker's Transitional payment and others will receive a lump sum payment of €100 in respect of each child for whom they receive an Increase for a Qualified Child. In addition, recipients of both of those payments will receive a Christmas bonus double week payment in December, and a cost-of-living double week payment in January. Like all parents, lone parent families are receiving a double month's Child Benefit payment this month.
Lone parents in receipt of the Fuel Allowance will receive a lump sum payment of €300 in November. Every household will also receive three energy credits of €150 each, which are due to be paid by April 2024.
Approximately half of the payments of the €400 cost of living lump sum payment made to recipients of the Working Family Payment last month, were made to lone parents.
I have also provided for a €12 increase in the personal rate of working age payments such as One-Parent Family Payment. This will increase the personal rate from €220 to €232, per week from January. In addition, the rate of Increase for a Qualified Child will increase by €4 to €46 per week in respect of a qualified child under age 12 and by €4 to €54 per week in respect of a qualified child aged 12 or over from January. As a result, these rates will have increased by €10 for under 12s and by €14 for over 12s over the last four Budgets.
A preliminary Social Impact Analysis undertaken in relation to the Budget 2024 Social Protection package shows a very progressive impact of the Budget package, with lowest income deciles benefitting most.
In addition, I intend to publish legislation shortly which will provide for child maintenance payments to be disregarded in the means test for social welfare payments. This measure will mean that many lone parents currently on reduced rates of payment will see their payment increase and some additional lone parents will qualify for a payment. It is estimated that this measure will be of direct benefit to approximately 16,000 lone parents at a cost of approximately €10 million per year.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
