Increase in social welfare payments coming this week

SOCIAL welfare recipients in Cork will from this week receive what Minister for Social Protection Simon Coveney has described as a “modest” increase in their payments to the value of €5.

Minister Coveney said the increase was fulfilling a promise made in Budget 2017.

“While it’s a modest increase, it’s a step in the right direction. For a lot of people it will be the first increase they have had in years,” he said.

“This is a really important part of Fines Gael’s commitment to ensure that everyone benefits from our recent economic success, especially those people who need it the most. We are working hard to build a fair and compassionate society with thriving communities across every region of Ireland,” added the Minister.

The increases will be staggered as people receive payments on different days, with approximately 40,000 Cork pensioners receiving €5 this week.

More than 18,500 people will also see an increase in Job Seekers benefit and allowance.

The increase will be effective from next week for other categories including carers, people with disabilities, lone parents, widows and widowers and those in receipt of the blind pension.

Minister Coveney said Fine Gael remained focussed on improving life for the self-employed, with many people moving from PAYE into the sector.

“We want to encourage and support those in self-employment. They are the people with the potential to create further employment in towns and villages throughout Cork,” he said.

“We have already extended paternity benefit to the self-employed and restored benefits including the invalidity pension, which they can access without a means test if they become sick or injured and can no longer work as a result”, he added.