Charities hit out at ‘half measure’ hike in welfare
Minister in war of words with Vincent de Paul over payments rise
HEATHER Humphreys yesterday became embroiled in row with the charity St Vincent de Paul following criticism that social welfare increases failed to keep pace with inflation.
The Minister for Social Protection yesterday announced the State’s largest ever social welfare package of €2.3billion as part of the Budget.
From January, weekly social welfare rates and the State pension will increase by €12 a week as part of Budget 2024.
But St Vincent de Paul said that the increases should be more than double that figure and will leave ‘people unable to keep up with the cost of living’.
However, the Fine Gael Minister rejected the assertion increases of €27.50 were needed to allow people to ‘stand still’ with inflation.
The society has said that the €12 increase was a ‘real-term cut in social protection payments; €12 is less than half what was needed to keep pace with rising living costs.’
Ms Humphreys, a TD for Cavan-Monaghan, pointed to a departmental case study which calculated that some on the State pension would be €33 better off with the €12 weekly increase, the living alone allowance, the fuel allowance lump sum and Christmas bonus.
‘I don’t know what St Vincent de Paul [is] accounting, but that’s what I have in front of me. €33 a week better off,’ she said.
‘I don’t think anyone is being left down in this Budget. I really don’t,’ the Minister added.
She said that when all the one-off lump sum payments are added up for those who are most vulnerable, they are better off.
‘They will have more money in their pocket and that’s what we want to do. We can’t do everything,’ she said.
There will be nine lump sum payments for those in receipt of various welfare measures across 2023 and 2024, including: double child benefit in December; €400 for those with disability and carers; €200 for those getting the Living Alone allowance.
In addition, 1.3 million people in receipt of welfare payments will see a cost-of-living bonus at Christmas and again in January.
The Minister said the €12 increase in weekly social welfare would come in from January and marked a €29 increase by the Government over the last three budgets.
‘When we think not so long ago there were years where a €3 increase or maybe no increase at all in the welfare weekly rates, I think a €29 increase in weekly payments over the lifetime of this Government to date is significant.’
Age Action also criticised the decision of the Government not to increase the living alone allowance, and said after the lump sum of €200, the weekly rate will not be enough to meet people’s needs.
When asked about this the Minister reiterated that people will be ‘a lot better off’ after this Budget when all the one-off payments are factored in.
Dr Tricia Keilthy, SVP Head of Social Justice, said this Budget is ‘very much what we feared following last year’s budget, when the emphasis was on one-off payments and less on actions that would seriously impact poverty reduction among those in work on low pay and those in receipt of social protection payments’.
Derval McDonagh, CEO of Inclusion Ireland, labelled the €12 rise in disability and carers allowance ‘a disturbing blow to human rights’ for those with a disability.
‘Tokenistic once-off payments ignore the plight of exclusion and inequality that exists in Ireland today. Budget 2024 has abandoned
‘€12 is less than half what was needed’
‘A disturbing blow to human rights’
disabled people living well below the poverty line, and marginalised carers already carrying the weight of broken systems,’ she said.
‘The Covid pandemic has highlighted the important role Ireland’s social protection system can play in protecting people from poverty. However, the considerable gap between the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and the current rate of €232 for the disability allowance sends a clear signal that disabled people are not seen as equals to other Irish citizens.’
Minister Humphreys also extended the hot school meals programme to 2,000 primary schools in 2024, bringing the Government another step closer to providing hot school meals to all primary schools.
‘Every child born today will receive a hot school meal by the time they reach school going age,’ Minister Humphreys said.