€21.2 billion to be
spent on Social Welfare in 2020
Social Welfare Budget Package Prioritises
Vulnerable Older People and Children
Carers can now work up to 18.5 hours
a week
Hot School Meals to be provided to an
additional 35,000 primary schoolchildren
Specific job activation and training
supports for groups who have difficulty finding work
Tuesday, 8 October, 2019: Minister Regina Doherty, T.D., has
announced a social welfare package of €21.2 billion for 2020 which includes
€171.2 million in additional social welfare expenditure that specifically
targets those most in need. Over 200,000
older people and people with a disability living alone will receive increased
payments. There will also be additional
support for children at risk of poverty including provision for 35,000 more
children to avail of free Hot School Meals.
Minister Doherty commented:
“Governing is in essence all about choices and particularly so when you
can’t cater for all that you would like to do. As this Government delivers a
prudent Budget in the shadow of Brexit, I have chosen to ensure that we get
maximum impact for families –
particularly vulnerable children and older people.
“Despite the fact that we all have to work within a limited Budget that
does not mean we cannot be innovative. I am particularly pleased to progress
the momentum behind free hot school meals and drive change in how we assist
those who are particularly challenged in their search for a job. I am also
seeking to take a first step towards addressing the current unacceptable system
we have for determining maintenance payments.
“A budget is not just about money, it is also about ensuring that you
use your resources to effect the best possible changes for society. I hope that
the changes announced today will improve the lot of as many families and
vulnerable people as possible.”
Living Alone Allowance
People with disabilities and
pensioners who are living alone will receive an increase of €5 per week on
their Living Alone Allowance payment.
This increase will take effect from the week beginning 6 January, 2020,
benefiting over 160,000 pensioners and 40,000 people with disabilities who are
living alone.
Children
Also, from the week beginning 6
January, 2020 people receiving weekly social welfare payments with dependent
children will get an increase. Families
with children aged 12 and over will receive a weekly increase of €3 for each
child and those with children under 12 will get a weekly increase of €2 for
each child. This builds on increases introduced by the Minister last year.
The increases on the weekly
payments will take effect during the week beginning 6 January, 2020 rather than
the end of March as had been the case in previous years.
Working lone parents will see the
earnings disregard increase by €15 to €165 per week from January, allowing them
to earn more without affecting their One Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s
Transition payment.
The Minister has increased the
income thresholds on the Working Family Payment by €10 per week for families
with up to three children, ensuring that more low income families qualify for
the payment. It also ensures that the
families already availing of this employment support will benefit from an
additional €6 per week.
Fuel and Household supports
The Fuel Allowance will be
increased by €2 per week to €24.50 from January with some 370,000 households
set to benefit. This will offset any carbon tax costs for the most vulnerable
in society.
Other measures include extending
the Household Benefits package i.e. gas/electricity allowance and free TV
licence to people under 70 who have another adult living with them.
Help for those seeking work
€2.5 million is being provided to
target specific job activation and training supports for groups who are most
distant from the labour market or have challenges entering the workplace. In
particular, Minister Doherty emphasised that she wishes to develop
‘Returnships’ for women who have been out of the workplace for a prolonged
period of time – usually to raise a family or care for a relative – and help
them to participate once more in the workforce.
Jobseekers aged 25 will receive
an increase of €45.20 in their weekly payment from January, bringing them up to
the maximum rate payable, thereby discontinuing the reduced payment currently
in place for 25 year old jobseekers.
The Jobseeker’s Allowance payment
made to jobseekers who are under 25 will be increased to the maximum rate where
they are living independently and in receipt of State housing support e.g. rent
supplement or HAP.
An additional €2m is being
provided in the training budget for the Community Employment scheme, benefiting
over 20,000 participants.
Carers will have the opportunity
to work or attend a training course for up to 18.5 hours per week. The Minister particularly prioritised this
measure in response to the carers she met who told her that they found the
current number of 15 hours to be too restrictive.
Hot School Meals
Minister Doherty is providing an additional €4 million in funding to
extend the Hot School Meals scheme nationwide in 2020. If the full-year
evaluation of the current pilot project confirms the positive impacts initially
reported, this funding will allow the Department of Employment Affairs and
Social Protection to extend the Hot School Meals scheme to up to 35,000
children, especially those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.
Research
The Minister also announced that her Department is
to establish a judge-led group to determine, based on best international
practice, maintenance guidelines and regulations which can hopefully be put on
a statutory footing and which will achieve better outcomes for families.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social
Protection is also to commission a research project that will examine funeral
poverty in Ireland and the wider economic impact of bereavement.
Minister Doherty emphasised:
“Today’s Budget demonstrates this Government’s commitment to providing
a better deal for families. The social
welfare package builds on the significant increases of recent years and focuses
on the groups in society who are most vulnerable and most at risk of
poverty. I will continue to work to
ensure that our social welfare system focuses on the people who are most
vulnerable in our society.”
Christmas Bonus
The Minister also announced that the Social Welfare Christmas Bonus will
be paid to
1.2 million people at a rate of 100% again this year.
“I am pleased to have received Government approval for the payment of
the social welfare Christmas Bonus, at a rate of 100% again this year, which
will be paid in early December. It will benefit all recipients of long-term
social welfare payments including carers, people with disabilities, pensioners,
and lone parents. Many people depending on weekly welfare payments throughout
the country value the bonus at this particularly expensive time.”
A full list of today’s measures
can be found in the Budget Factsheet at www.welfare.ie
ENDS.