Over €410 million in social protection measures as part of government cost of living supports

over €410 million in additional social protection supports
€200 cost of living payment to long-term social welfare recipients, including those receiving the Working Family Payment (WFP)
€100 Child Benefit additional lump sum payment per child
€100 one-off increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
continued roll out of the Hot School Meals Programme

The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, has announced details of a €410 million social welfare package to support families, pensioners, carers and people with disabilities.

The measures, in addition to the €2.2 billion of supports in Budget 2023, underline the government’s continued commitment to address the increased cost of living being experienced by people relying on social welfare payments and by working families.

The measures announced today include:

a €200 lump sum payment to be paid in April to people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This will be paid to primary recipients of the payments who receive the Christmas Bonus
a €200 payment for Working Family Payment recipients who have not received the lump sum on their primary payment, to be paid in April

- There will be one €200 lump sum paid, even if a person receives more than one qualifying social welfare payment

people receiving child benefit will receive an additional lump sum of €100 per child in June 2023
an additional €100 payment for each child for whom the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is to be paid in 2023
recognising the importance of the School Meals Programme in providing children with nutritious meals, Minister Humphreys stated her intention to complete the roll out of Hot School Meals to all remaining DEIS primary and special schools this year and plans to seek approval to expand the scheme into non-DEIS primary schools

Additional notes

The €200 lump sum payment to recipients of long-term social welfare payments:

due to be paid in April 2023
recipients include the same groups who received the Christmas Bonus in 2022 including those on Jobseekers payments or Illness Benefit for over 12 months, and people in receipt of Working Family Payment

Note: One payment will be made per primary recipient.

Child Benefit:

once off €100 lump sum for every child for whom child benefit is paid
due to be paid June 2023

Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance:

implementation date: June 2023
an additional €100 payment will also be paid in 2023, for each child for whom the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is paid
for a child aged from 4-11 years, the payment will be €260 and for those aged 12 – 22 it will be €385

Over €410 million in social protection measures as part of government cost of living supports

Additional notes

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