Starting the week of October 21st, the first of the government’s cost-of-living measures will see a double social welfare payment made to recipients of the Christmas bonus. However, many experts argue that these short-term fixes fail to address the root causes of Ireland’s ongoing housing, healthcare, and cost-of-living crises, instead pointing to the upcoming general election as the real motivation behind these announcements. Double Social Welfare Payment Begins October 21st
Though the government has promised relief for families, carers, pensioners, and others through one-off payments and benefit increases, the real issues – spiralling housing costs, healthcare backlogs, and insufficient long-term support – remain largely unaddressed. Below is a detailed breakdown of the latest measures and what to expect in the coming months.
Key Cost of Living Payments and Dates:
- Week of October 21st, 2024: Double social welfare payment for those who also receive the Christmas bonus. This applies to pensioners, carers, lone parents, people with disabilities, and long-term jobseeker recipients.
- November 2024:
- €300 cost-of-living lump sum for households receiving Fuel Allowance.
- €200 lump sum for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase.
- €400 lump sum for families receiving the Working Family Payment.
- €400 for carers receiving the Carer’s Support Grant.
- €400 for those getting Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, or Invalidity Pension.
- €100 cost-of-living lump sum per qualified child for those receiving the Child Support Payment (previously known as the Increase for a Qualified Child).
- November and December 2024: Double payment of Child Benefit to support families with children.
Additional Payments and Bonuses:
- October 2024: A cost-of-living bonus will be paid alongside the Christmas bonus to long-term social welfare recipients such as pensioners, carers, lone parents, disability payment recipients, and long-term jobseekers.
- December 2024: The Christmas bonus will be paid to 1.3 million social welfare recipients, including those who have been receiving Illness Benefit for 12 months or more.
- Note: For people receiving multiple benefits (such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, and/or the Carer’s Support Grant), only one lump sum payment will be made, regardless of how many benefits they qualify for or how many people they care for.
Supports for Families and Children in 2025:
From January 2025, several increases to weekly social welfare payments and supports will come into effect:
- €12 weekly increase for most social welfare payments, including Jobseeker’s Allowance, Disability Allowance, Pension, and Carer’s Allowance.
- Proportionate increases for qualified adults and those receiving a reduced rate.
- €8 increase to the Child Support Payment for children aged 12 and over, bringing the rate to €62 per week. For children under 12, the increase will be €4, raising the weekly rate to €50. This means that families with a child aged 12 or over could receive up to €3,224 per year in child support, while families with younger children could receive up to €2,600 annually.
- €15 increase in Maternity, Paternity, Adoptive, and Parent’s Benefit from January 2025.
- Introduction of a Newborn Baby Grant of €280, in addition to the first month of Child Benefit (€140), for children born on or after December 1, 2024.
- Income thresholds for the Working Family Payment will increase by €60 per week regardless of family size.
- Hot School Meals will be expanded to all remaining primary schools in a phased approach from April 2025, with a School Meals Holiday Hunger pilot project set to launch in summer 2025.
Supports for Pensioners, Carers, and People with Disabilities:
The government has announced additional supports for pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities, which will come into effect over the next year:
- €12 weekly increase in State Pensions and Carer’s Allowance from January 2025.
- €20 monthly increase in Domiciliary Care Allowance from January 2025.
- €150 annual increase in the Carer’s Support Grant from June 2025.
- Carer’s Allowance will qualify recipients for the Fuel Allowance from January 2025, subject to the scheme’s means test.
- Extension of Carer’s Benefit to self-employed individuals from January 2025.
- Free Travel Scheme Companion Pass will be extended to all individuals aged 70 and over by September 2025.
For those moving into care, the means disregard (the amount of money not counted in means tests) for the State Pension (Non-contributory), Disability Allowance, and Blind Pension will increase to €337,500 from January 2025.
Additional Supports for Jobseekers:
- From January 2025, jobseekers will receive a €12 weekly increase.
- Introduction of the Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit Scheme starting March 31, 2025.
- Weekly Child Support Payments will also increase as previously mentioned.
Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings:
Starting from September 30, 2025, the Auto-Enrolment retirement savings scheme will be introduced, aimed at helping 800,000 workers save for their future by automatically enrolling them in a pension scheme.
Long-Term Concerns Remain:
While these measures offer some relief, experts warn that these one-off payments and benefit increases do little to solve Ireland’s core economic challenges. Many argue that more sustainable solutions are needed to address issues like housing shortages, high healthcare costs, and childcare. Critics point out that the government is likely focusing on these short-term measures as a way to gain favour in the run-up to the general election, without addressing the long-term structural problems that keep so many reliant on state support.
Stay informed with WhatsGoingOnIreland.ie, where we provide in-depth analysis and breakdowns of the government’s actions and how they affect you. Sign up to receive more information and updates about how you can make the most of the available supports while keeping an eye on the bigger picture.
Double Social Welfare Payment Begins October 21st
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