Working Lone Parents to benefit from new measure that takes effect today, 5 January 2017

From today, 5 January, lone parents can earn more while retaining their full One-Parent Family or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment. The income disregards for the One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is increased by €20, from €90 to €110 per week. The measure applies to existing and new lone parents.

Minister Varadkar said: "This measure further builds on the Budget 2016 measure which increased the income disregard of the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment from €60 a week to €90 a week. In doing so it ensures that Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment recipients who are working will gain more income at the end of each week.

The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is available to lone parents who have a youngest child aged between 7 and 13 years. These customers are exempt from the Jobseeker’s Allowance conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work. Minister Varadkar added: "No lone parent with a child aged under 14 years is required to take-up employment in order to receive income support from the Department of Social Protection. They also have the option of availing of education and moving into employment, including into part-time employment, and continue to receive a Social Welfare payment. The weekly income disregard for Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment means test is €110 with effect from today with the balance assessed at 50%."

The increase to the One-Parent Family Payment disregard will benefit approximately 12,800 One-Parent Family Payment recipients. The increase to the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment disregard will benefit approximately 4,700 Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment recipients. Combined increases to the income disregards on both schemes will benefit approximately 17,500 lone parents. A lone parent on Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment working 15 hours a week on the National Minimum Wage will gain over €15 a week as a result of Budget 2017 measures.

The cumulative total gain for a Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment recipient between Budget 2016 and Budget 2017 is over €43 a week or over €2,200 per annum.

A lone parent on the One-Parent Family Payment working 15 hours a week on the National Minimum Wage will gain €16 a week as a result of Budget 2017 or over €830 per annum.

ENDS