Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016
453. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the projected cost increase in 2017 of reversing the cuts to the one-parent family payment in order that it continues to be paid until a child reaches 18 years of age. [27517/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra454. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost in 2017 of reinstating the income disregard of €147.50 for one-parent family payments and jobseeker's transitional payments. [27518/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.
The cost of increasing the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) in order that it continues to be paid when the youngest child reaches 18 years of age is not currently available. Customers transitioning from (OFP) move to a multitude of social welfare schemes and so this costing would require a complex exercise across a wide range of datasets within the Department.
I am, however, able to provide the Deputy with the approximate cost to the Exchequer of increasing the age of the youngest child for receipt of OFP to 12 and 14.
Please see this information in tabular form as follows:
|
OFP Increased to age: |
Approximate cost to the Exchequer in a full year |
|
12 |
€9,900,000 |
|
14 |
€13,500,000 |
These costings are based on the profile of lone parents, as of June 2016. It should be noted that they do not take into account potential behavioural changes which may arise on foot of the implementation of these changes. However, they do take into account accrued savings of the Back to Work Family Dividend as individuals would lose entitlement to the Dividend if they moved back to OFP.
With regard to the Deputy’s question of re-instating the income disregard, it is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the figure of €146.50 per week for the income disregard for OFP and the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST). The Deputy should note that the disregard of €146.50 only ever applied to OFP. The JST disregard was originally set at €60 per week and was then increased in January 2015 to €90 per week.
Please see the requested information in tabular form as follows:
|
Scheme |
Increase income disregard to: |
Approximate cost to the Exchequer in a full year |
|
One Parent Family Payment |
€146.50 a week |
€18,200,000 |
|
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment |
€146.50 a week |
€7,000,000 |
|
Total |
€25,200,000 |
