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Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands recommends a rise in all social welfare payments and extension to fuel allowance payment in its Pre Budget Report

5 Sep 2022, 12:15

The Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands has today, Monday September 05, published its Pre-Budget Report and has forwarded a copy to the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys to assist the Government in its deliberations during the negotiations for Budget 2023.


One of the key themes that came up in the Committee’s public call for submissions was the need to focus on anti–poverty policies and to provide supports to families in a vast range of different circumstances to assist them in staying out of poverty.

The Committee’s Report contains 31 recommendations for Budget 2023 including recommendation that at a minimum, there should be a rise in all payments equivalent to the cost of living increases since the last increase.

Other key recommendations include:
• The Department of Social Protection commits to reviewing all basic social welfare payments on an annual basis and benchmarking social welfare rates against the cost of a Minimum Essential Standard of Living.

• The period for paying Fuel Allowance is increased by four weeks to a total of 32 weeks and that eligibility for the Fuel Allowance would be extended to all recipients whose income was less than €140 over the relevant social welfare rates.

• An additional payment of €20 per week should be introduced for those with a moderate, severe or profound disability and that in cases of those with a mild disability the standard rate should match that of Jobseekers Allowance.

• Changes to the means test for Disability Allowance, which should be changed as follows; earnings disregard should be increased to €150 with 50% of the balance assessable.

• The capital disregard for those in receipt of Disability Allowance is increased in Budget 2023 as follows: the Wage Subsidy Scheme payments should be increased to 70% of the minimum wage as it was previously.
• Self-employed income of those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance should be assessed at 50% instead of 100%. Regarding Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients, the assessment of a partner’s income should be assessed as follows; disregard the first €100 for those who work three or more days with a proportionate reduction for those who work one or two days and assess the balance at 50%.

• An increase in the rate payable for young Jobseekers aged 18-24 years in Budget 2023, with the aim of full restoration by 2026.
• The income disregard of €165 for those in receipt of One–Parent Family Payment should be increased to €200 in Budget 2023.
• Child maintenance should not be included as household income in means test for social welfare supports.
• 100% of mortgage and rent costs should be disregarded in means assessment for the One Parent Family payment.
• The Carers Support Grant is increased to €2000 in Budget 2023.
• The Domiciliary Care Allowance is increased in Budget 2023 to €350 per month.

• Child Benefit should extend to parents of children up to 19 years of age; and that the Department reintroduces an increased rate for larger families.
• All validly submitted applications to the Department of Social Protection are processed within four weeks and that the Department ensures it is properly resourced to achieve this target and that all social welfare appeals are processed within a 12-week timeframe.
• The Department of Social Protection should develop and resource a new Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty and establish a Just Transition Commission without further delay.

Launching the report, Committee Cathaoirleach, Deputy Denis Naughten, said: “The Joint Committee is committed to ensuring the recommendations in the report are implemented to create positive change for the most vulnerable in society. The Committee is of the view that the recommendations would have a significant positive impact with many recommendations not creating substantial additional expenditure for the Department of Social Protection."

“A functioning and robust Social Protection system is an important function of any modern society and the State must ensure that it supports all those who make a vital contribution to Irish society by performing work in the home, supporting local communities and acting as family carers. The contributions made by all must be recognised and rewarded. Similarly, those who are preparing to return to the workforce must be encouraged and should be assisted to find appropriate work for their own needs and circumstances."

“Similar to the Committee’s Pre–Budget Submission 2022, a key focus for the Committee for Budget 2023 and a recurring theme in submissions received was tackling poverty and the rising cost of living, alongside general social welfare rates. During its examination of these issues, the Committee placed a public call for submissions, and I would like to thank those organisations who submitted their views to the Committee.”

Read the report in full on the Committee's webpage.

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