Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
104. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the measures being taken to support low-income families, such as increases in weekly social welfare payments, an increase in the domiciliary care allowance, and increases in the income thresholds for the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7457/24]
View answerThe package of social protection measures in Budget 2024 are worth €2.3 Billion. For the second year in a row, it is the largest social protection package in the history of the State.
Budget 2024 provided an extensive package of cost-of-living payments along with targeted measures to assist low-income families. These measures included: a €12 weekly rate increase in primary payments, a €10 monthly increase to the Domiciliary Care Allowance and a €54 per week increase to the income thresholds for those in receipt of the Working Family Payment.
The package, also included a range of payments as follows:
In November 2023:
• A cost-of-living payment of €400 was paid to 46,000 recipients of the Working Family Payment.
• A payment of €300 was paid to over 400,000 people who receive the Fuel Allowance.
• A €400 payment was paid to those in receipt of either the Carer’s Support Grant or the Domiciliary Care Allowance.
• €100 was paid for each child where a person in receipt of a payment was receiving an Increase for a Qualified Child.
In December 2023:
• Families with children received a double payment of Child Benefit (benefitting about 1.2 million children).
• A 100% Christmas Bonus was paid to 1.3 million people on long-term schemes.
In January 2024:
• A double payment was also paid on the same basis as the Christmas Bonus.
• The maximum personal rate of payments on working age schemes increased by €12 per week.
• The level of Increase for a Qualified Child was increased by €4 bringing the weekly rates to €54 for those aged 12 or over and €54 for those aged under 12.
In addition to the above, I’ve been pleased to announce some key reforms which will benefit families such as, the extension of Parent’s Benefit to 9 weeks from August, extending the hot school meals scheme - which will benefit some 150,000 children and the extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full time education, among other measures. I am particularly pleased that we can bring the implementation date for the extension of Child Benefit forward from September to May.
The government has also provided, for example, every household with three energy credits of €150, which will be paid by April 2024.
A preliminary Social Impact Analysis undertaken in relation to the Budget 2024 Social Protection package highlighted its progressive impact, with the lowest income deciles benefitting the most.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
