Press release
Minister Humphreys announces over €1 billion in new social protection improvements to come into effect from next week
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, today announced that over €1 billion in Social Protection increases are to come into effect from next week.
The improvements, secured as part of Budget 2023, provide for a range of supports for pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and low-income families.
Speaking in Dublin today, the Minister outlined the timelines for the improvements, which are set out below.
Among the improvements coming into effect are across-the-board increases in weekly payments which will benefit over 1.5 million people.
The changes also include the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme and significant improvements to the Working Family Payment.
Among the measures coming into effect in January are:
These measures are on top of the eight lump payments - already paid in October, November and December - that Minister Humphreys secured as part of Budget 2023 to assist families with the cost of living.
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 Payment for Carer’s and a €500 Disability Support Grant.
The total cost of these lump sum payments comes to €1.2 billion.
Announcing the Social Protection measures, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to announce that over €1 Billion in Social Protection improvements are to come into effect from tomorrow.
“These improvements will benefit hundreds of thousands of households and families right across the country, including our carers, pensioners, lone parents and people with disabilities.
“I’m pleased to again increase the core rates of our weekly payments by €12 per week. This will see more money put back into people’s pockets, particularly at a time when people are feeling the pressures associated with the Cost of Living.
“As a result of this increase, over 1.5 million people set to receive more money into their accounts this week. This is the largest increases in weekly payments for over a decade.
“I’m particularly pleased to have secured a major expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme, which will benefit up to 81,000 new households for the first time.
“I have once again increased the Qualified Child payments, a proven way to help reduce poverty. I have also increased the income thresholds for the Working Family Payment ensuring more families will be brought into the scheme.
“The measures coming into effect this week are in addition to the series of Lump Sum Payments issued recently and are designed to put more money back in people’s pockets and assist families across the country with the cost of living.”
Full list of improvements and commencement dates below:
| Budget 2023 - Measures commencing in January 2023 | Commencing |
| The maximum weekly rate of all weekly payments is increasing by €12 per week with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payment | With effect from the first week of January. |
| The weekly rate of the qualified child increase for children of all ages is increasing by €2, from €48 to €50 per week for children aged 12 and over, and from €40 to €42 per week for children aged under 12 | With effect from the first week of January. |
| The income threshold for Working Family Payment is increasing by €40 for all families | With effect from 5 January 2023 |
| The additional payment of €22.50 on Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme is increasing by €5, and Jobs Initiative by €10 | With effect from 5 January 2023 |
| The rate of Domiciliary Care Allowance is increasing to €330 per month | With effect from 1 January 2023 |
| The disregard for income received from agri-environmental schemes for Farm Assist is increasing from €2,540 to €5,000 | With effect from 1 January 2023 |
| The earnings disregard for Disability Allowance and Blind Pension is increasing from €140 to €165 per week | With effect from 4 January 2023 |
| Access to the JobsPlus scheme is being extended | With effect from 1 January 2023 |
| Domiciliary Care Allowance is being provided to parents of babies who remain in an acute hospital after birth for a period of 6 months | With effect from 1 January 2023 |
| Fuel Allowance is being extended to those who are aged over 70 and below the weekly means threshold of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for couple (Household rules still apply) | With effect from 2 January 2023 |
| Other changes to Fuel Allowance: | |
| Increase the Fuel Allowance means threshold to €200 | With effect from 2 January 2023 |
| Disregard Disablement Benefit in Fuel Allowance means test | With effect from 2 January 2023 |
| Disregard Half-rate Carer's Allowance in Fuel Allowance means test | With effect from 2 January 2023 |