Laois TD welcomes extra cash for pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents.
A Laois Fine Gael TD has welcomed the extra €1 billion provided in the 2023 budget for people relying on social welfare.
Deputy Charlie Flanagan says they money is going back to the pockets of pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and low-income families in Laois.
“We all know that it is more expensive now to do the weekly shop, fuel your car, pay your bills, and make ends meet. That is why Fine Gael are determined to put more money back into your pockets and assist families in Laois with the current high cost of living," he said.
The Social Welfare Bill 2022 published this week gives effect to Budget 2023 measures, and will help thousands of individuals and families in Laois with increased payments according to Dep Flanagan.
“Fine Gael is determined to put money back in people’s pockets and assist them with the rising cost of living
“When passed, this Bill will deliver the largest Social Protection package in the history of the State. which provides for a range of supports for pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and low-income families in Laois.
“The main provisions in this week’s Bill apply across-the-board increases in weekly payments to pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents.
“The Bill includes measures to expand the Working Family Payment to more households and changes to the Means Test for the Farm Assist Payment," he said.
Among the measures included in the Bill are:
€12 increase in the maximum rate of all core weekly payments.
Working Family Payment thresholds to increase by €40 per week for all family sizes.
An increase of €20.50 in the monthly rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance bringing the payment to €330 per month. This is the first increase since 2009 for people who play a valuable and difficult role in Irish society – parents or guardians who look after a child with a severe disability.
Increase in payments in respect of children of social welfare recipients, bringing the payment to €42 per week for children under 12 and €50 per week for children aged 12 and over.
Farm Assist, Jobseeker’s Allowance, and State Non-Contributory Pension – a doubling in the amount of income that can be derived from agri-environmental schemes (e.g., Glas, ACRES) and counted in assessing means. As a result of this measure, €5,000 can be disregarded from January 2023.
Extend eligibility for participation on Community Employment Schemes to spouses, civil partners or cohabitants of Jobseeker’s Allowance recipients.
Increase in earnings attracting the lower Employer PRSI rate in line with increase in the national minimum wage which should encourage employment especially in the service sector.”
These measures are on top of the eight lump payments that Fine Gael secured as part of Budget 2023, which amount to €1.2 billion.
These payments include the Autumn Cost of Living Payment, a double payment of Child Benefit, an additional €400 for Fuel Allowance recipients, an additional €200 for recipients of the Living Alone Allowance, an additional €500 for Working Family Payment recipients, a €500 Lump Sum Disability Payment and a special €500 Carer’s Support Grant which will issue to over 114,000 Carers on this week.