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______________________________________________
For Oral Answer on : 13/10/2022
Question Number(s): 11,50,60,74,82 Question Reference(s): 50308/22, 50367/22, 50532/22, 49689/22, 50598/22
Department: Social Protection
Asked by: Emer Higgins T.D., David Stanton T.D., Colm Burke T.D., Neale Richmond T.D., Kieran O’Donnell T.D.
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QUESTION



* To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide a timeframe for the introduction of the cost-of-living payments announced in Budget 2023 that are due to be issued before Christmas 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Emer Higgins T.D.


For ORAL answer on Thursday, 13 October, 2022.

* To ask the Minister for Social Protection the timeline for cost-of-living payments issued before Christmas 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– David Stanton T.D.


For ORAL answer on Thursday, 13 October, 2022.

* To ask the Minister for Social Protection when cost-of-living payments scheduled before Christmas 2022 will issue to recipients; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Colm Burke T.D.


For ORAL answer on Thursday, 13 October, 2022.

* To ask the Minister for Social Protection the cost-of-living supports her Department announced in Budget 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Neale Richmond T.D.


For ORAL answer on Thursday, 13 October, 2022.

* To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will outline all of the cost-of-living measures and payments due in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Kieran O’Donnell T.D.


For ORAL answer on Thursday, 13 October, 2022.

REPLY


In response to the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, as part of Budget 2023, I secured over €2.1 billion in new measures, the largest Social Protection package in the history of the state.

Recognising that Autumn/Winter is the most expensive time of year for many households and rather than waiting until the New Year, €1.1 billion of this package has been targeted to provide for a wide range of lump-sum payments which will be paid out in the coming months.  These payments are in addition to a wide range of increases that will come into effect from January 2023.

My Department is currently working on putting in place the necessary IT systems and administrative processes to administer the various lump sum payments.

The cost-of-living supports recently announced will be paid on the following dates.

The Autumn Cost-of-Living Double Week Payment to most weekly Social Protection schemes will be paid during the week commencing 17th of October 2022.

The Double Payment of Child Benefit to support families with children will be paid alongside the regular Child Benefit Payment on the 1st of November 2022.

The following cost-of-living measures will be paid during the week commencing 14th of November 2022:

  • A €400 Lump Sum Fuel Allowance Payment to all households receiving the Fuel Allowance;
  • A €200 Lump Sum Payment for pensioners and people with a disability receiving the Living Alone Allowance;
  • A €500 Lump Sum Payment to all families in receipt of the Working Family Payment;
  • A €500 lump sum Payment to those on Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension.


A €500 Lump Sum Payment will be paid to those in receipt of the Carer’s Support Grant during the week commencing 21st of November 2022.

In addition, a 100% Christmas Bonus will be paid to long-term social welfare recipients during the week beginning 5th of December 2022.

In addition to these measures in 2022, I also announced a series of measures as part of Budget 2023 which take effect in January.  These include:

  • A €12 increase will be provided on weekly payments – with additional increases to those people with qualified adults.  
  • An increase in the income thresholds on working family payment by €40 across the board.  This will benefit working families on the payment by up to €24 per week.  
  • A significant increase in the income threshold for over 70s.  From January, it will be €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple.
  • In addition, I am improving the standard fuel allowance means test for the scheme by raising the means limit from 120 euro to 200 euro above the contributory pension rate.  Half-rate carers allowance payments and disablement benefit will no longer be assessed in the fuel allowance means test.
  • I am raising the under-12 rate by two euro – to 42 euro for a child under 12 – and by two euro for a child over 12, bringing that rate up to 50 euro per week.  Over the last three Budgets, we have now increased the under 12 rate by six euro and the over 12 rate by ten euro.
  • I also announced that we will amend these rules so parents can qualify for domiciliary care allowance when babies do not leave hospital but who otherwise would have qualified for the payment.  In addition, I am increasing the rate of payment from €309.50 to €330 per month.
  • I am also increasing the earnings disregard on Disability Allowance to €165 per week to allow those people with disabilities who can work to earn more and retain their social welfare payment.


The Government also announced a range of other measures to support households through the winter period.  In particular, three further energy credits totaling €600 will be paid to all households, with the first of these being paid before the end of the year.