Main Improvements
|
◊ Largest ever spend on welfare up €1.12 billion
◊ Budget Digest
◊ Alleviating Child Poverty
◊ Recognising Carers
◊ Empowering Lone Parents
◊ Supporting Older People
Largest ever spend on welfare up €1.12 billion
- €13.5 billion expenditure to benefit 1.5 million people.
- Expenditure on welfare in 2006 double what was spent in 2000.
- Payments increased by almost four times expected rate of inflation.
- Includes over €800m on significant increase in rates and €300m social reform programme.
- Reform programme includes boosts for older people, alleviating poverty and recognising carers.
- Lower rates increased by €17 per week.
Budget Digest
- Fuel Poverty Relief -Fuel Allowance increased by €5 per week in major €42m fuel poverty package.
- Activation Measures - Range of measures in €28 million increased spend on new opportunities for recipients includes new tapered withdrawal of Disability Allowance if in employment or on back to work incentives.
- Maternity Benefit - Maternity Benefit increased to 80% of reckonable weekly earnings.
Alleviating Child Poverty
- Over €150m, in addition to rates rise, to be invested in measures.
- Child Benefit increased – new rates €150 and €185.
- New childcare measures to benefit low income families.
- FIS earnings thresholds increased from €19 - €282 per week, in relation to family size.
- €40 per child rise in Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance.
- More funding for School Meals Initiative.
Recognising Carers
- €30m support package and rates increase.
- Special increase makes Carer’s Allowance largest single welfare benefit – rising to €200 and €180 per week.
- €200 increase brings Respite Care Grant to €1,200.
- Income disregard increased for Carer’s Allowance.
Empowering Lone Parents
- Upper earnings income threshold increased by €82 per week to €375.
- Rates increased by €16 - €17 per week.
- Further initiatives after reforms report published.
Supporting Older People
- €50m support package on top of rates increases.
- Increases of €16 and €14 for Pensioners.
- New enhanced Non- Contributory Pension to lift thousands onto full entitlement.
- Means test relaxed and new earnings disregard of €100 a week for Non-Contributory Pensioners.
- Over 80’s Allowance increased to €10.
- Fuel Allowance increased by €5 to €14
|
Download Budget Factsheet 2006 in PDF