# Social Protection

This month

September 2023

Government plans to extend child benefit to over-18s still in school as part of Budget

The Government also announced plans to broaden access to SUSI grants to single parents who want to study on a part-time basis.

50.4k

Updated

Sep 15th 2023, 3:37 PM

This year

2023

# Cost of Living

650,000 families to receive an additional €100 per child in benefit payments today

The additional payment is part of the Government’s package to help people with the cost of living.

13.8k

Jun 6th 2023, 8:51 AM

# budget 2024

Budget 2024 will include social welfare payment increases, says minister

The Taoiseach confirmed yesterday that a pension increase is on the cards for Budget 2024.

27.0k

May 24th 2023, 6:21 PM

# Jobseeker's Benefit

Unemployed who worked 5 years or more before losing job to get €450 per week under Govt plan

Minister Heather Humphreys says she wants to bring proposals to Government this year on the new pay-related benefit plan.

54.8k

Feb 10th 2023, 4:46 PM

# rising costs

Minister indicates targeted and universal cost-of-living measures on the cards as talks intensify

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he plans to make announcement about new and extended cost-of-living measures in mid-February.

8.5k

Feb 10th 2023, 1:13 PM

Last year

2022

# Social Welfare

Proposed overhaul of jobseeker's benefit would directly link payment to previous earnings

Currently, recipients of the jobseeker’s benefit are categorised into one of four bands depending on their prior income.

29.8k

Dec 7th 2022, 3:44 PM

# Cabinet

Social welfare supports of €141.4m provided to Ukrainians this year

Department of Social Protection spending is 1.4% higher than profiled for this year.

25.1k

Nov 2nd 2022, 6:13 PM

# budget 2023

Ministers announce payment dates for social protection supports introduced in Budget

A double social welfare payment will be paid next week while a double Child Benefit payment will be paid at the start of next month.

46.2k

Updated

Oct 11th 2022, 11:00 AM

# Cost of Living

Some applicants waiting up to 8 weeks for emergency welfare payment

Sinn Féin’s Claire Kerrane has called the timeframe ‘frightening’.

95% of applications are taking between five to eight weeks to fully process the payment.

The Additional Needs Payment can be used to cover basic necessities such as food, clothing, fuel, fixing white goods like washing machines and utility bills.

St Vincent De Paul says more resources are needed in frontline services so those in need can get payments in a timely manner.

40.3k

Sep 3rd 2022, 12:05 AM

# Cost of Living

Govt won't be dropping motorway tolls as part of its plan to tackle the cost-of-living surge

Tánaiste Leo Varadkar says he is not a fan of tolls but they do help pay for road infrastructure.

A spokesperson for Minister Eamon Ryan has confirmed that there are no plans to reduce toll charges despite commuters facing crippling price hikes in fuel, reports Christina Finn.

Some in Govt circles say they are open to looking at reducing toll charges, but fear that such a proposal would not get past the Greens.

One Fine Gael TD says he is in favour of a toll reduction, saying it would help motorists that are under pressure.

21.9k

Jun 10th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Retirement

Proposals on possible pension age increase to go to Govt before summer recess, says minister

The Pensions Commission has recommended a gradual increase in the qualification age from 66 to 68 over the next 17 years.

36.3k

Jun 8th 2022, 2:47 PM

# wig grant

Thousands of people with alopecia can benefit from €500 grant to buy wig

The government grant will go to people who suffer hair loss due to illness.

16.5k

May 25th 2022, 2:55 PM

# rent a room

Up to €14,000 can be earned in rent by social welfare recipients under newly agreed rules

The change means that social welfare payments will not be impacted for earning rental income under €14,000.

51.1k

May 19th 2022, 3:23 PM

# Social Protection

'Insanity': Criticism as unemployment benefit to be paid at post offices rather than online

It was announced last month that people receiving the payment would no longer have it paid directly into their bank account.

One man said he now has to drive over 55km to a post office in order to collect the payment, which brings his fuel cost to between €45 - €50 a week.

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said that the return to post offices would help to support the network and tackle welfare fraud.

A Social Democrats TD said the idea that people in receipt of social welfare are going to defraud the State "has been debunked on several occasions".

120k

121

Feb 7th 2022, 12:05 AM

# Pension

Government to keep 'open mind' on committee recommendation to maintain state pension at age 66

An Oireachtas Committee has said the pension age should not be increased.

36.0k

Updated

Feb 2nd 2022, 9:07 PM

# Heather Humphreys

Jobseekers payments to return to post offices following lifting of Covid restrictions

The measure will initially apply to new applicants before being extended to other jobseekers over the coming months.

20.0k

Jan 26th 2022, 6:08 PM

All time

# Social Protection

Christmas payment will be paid to 1.4 million social welfare recipients next week

The cost of this year’s Christmas payment will be €313 million.

42.7k

Dec 1st 2021, 10:18 AM

# Social Welfare

New unemployment payment linked to past working history pushed out to 2023

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said today that the plans will not be included in Budget 2022.

38.4k

Jul 12th 2021, 4:31 PM

# Social Protection

Gardaí in Cork arrest and charge man for alleged PUP and social welfare fraud

The man is alleged to have claimed €8,000 in fraudulent claims spread across the PUP and social welfare system.

60.9k

May 13th 2021, 6:02 PM

# Work

Number of PUP recipients falls below 400,000 for the first time this year

Over 12,000 people have closed their claim in the last week because they have returned to work.

10.4k

May 4th 2021, 4:13 PM

# Social Protection

'Sophisticated' scam involves people receiving phone calls from bogus department official

The Department of Social Protection never requests bank account details from its customers by phone or SMS.

78.2k

Updated

Apr 8th 2021, 12:45 PM

# PUP

480,000 workers to receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow

Over 10,000 people closed their PUP claims last week.

20.8k

Feb 1st 2021, 10:26 PM

# covid payment

Almost half a million people to receive Pandemic Unemployment Payment tomorrow

Construction is the sector that has seen the largest increase in the number of people receiving PUP this week.

21.5k

Jan 25th 2021, 3:29 PM

# Social Protection

Social welfare rights for UK citizens in Ireland and vice versa officially unaffected despite Brexit

A bilateral agreement covers a range of different benefits including those for sickness, parents, pensions and unemployment.

37.3k

Jan 1st 2021, 1:44 PM

# Social Protection

Over 1.6 million to get Christmas Bonus this week, as those receiving Covid PUP drops slightly

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment will be available until March of next year.

36.0k

Dec 7th 2020, 9:45 PM

# money owed

Pandemic Unemployment Payment arrears to be paid to 286,000 recipients today

Some cases progressed more slowly due to their complexity and due to inadequate or inaccurate information provided.

25.5k

Dec 1st 2020, 12:43 PM

# Social Protection

Heather Humphreys: 'If you're permanently unemployed, then you should be looking for work'

The decision to cut welfare payments after recipients’ holidays abroad has been criticised by TDs as unfair, misguided and discriminatory.

48.2k

Jul 27th 2020, 2:11 PM

# Unemployment

Over a million people in Ireland receiving some sort of State income support

Around 50,000 people currently receiving the unemployment payment are receiving income support for the first time.

12.0k

Apr 20th 2020, 2:20 PM

# Coronavirus

Regina Doherty defends pandemic payment but admits system isn't 'perfect'

The social protection minister admitted that some students might be receiving more from the scheme than they would normally have earned.

35.9k

108

Apr 3rd 2020, 11:10 AM

# exchequer statement

Tax revenues last month almost €1 billion lower than March last year

An Exchequer deficit of €2.5 billion was recorded in the first quarter of 2020.

23.1k

118

Apr 2nd 2020, 3:06 PM

# Support

There have been 58,000 applications for the Covid-19 unemployment payment

Minister Regina Doherty said 43,000 of those applications have been processed so far.

47.2k

Updated

Mar 19th 2020, 9:40 PM

# Coronavirus

Here are workers' entitlements if they are affected by Covid-19

The first case of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland was confirmed over the weekend.

81.4k

Mar 2nd 2020, 9:23 PM

# Controversy

Department boss says he's 'satisfied' the Public Services Card rollout is value for money

The Secretary General of the Department of Social Protection is due before the PAC today.

10.9k

Nov 7th 2019, 8:37 AM

# state pension

54% of women who had State pensions reviewed after 'cruel' 2012 changes will get more money

Changes to the State pension in 2012 meant carers who took time off work received less in their State pension.

52.4k

Nov 3rd 2019, 7:30 AM

# jobspath macht frei

'Jobpath Macht Frei': Condemnation after 'extremely offensive' sign placed at Cork Welfare office

The slogan “arbeit macht frei” is known for appearing on the entrance of Auschwitz.

48.2k

Oct 17th 2019, 9:19 PM

# budget 2020

Here's what Budget 2020 means for people receiving social welfare payments

The INOU has said it is “very disappointing” there were no increases to Jobseekers’ payments.

90.0k

Oct 9th 2019, 8:03 AM

# Jobseekers

JobPath scheme extended by one year to help with 'labour uncertainty' from Brexit

Controversy has overshadowed the scheme over the years due to complaints from users of the service.

24.7k

Sep 25th 2019, 2:35 PM

# Social Protection

'Cruel' State pension changes are still affecting thousands

Despite government revisions, only 32,307 pensioners have received an increase in their pension, which is “significantly lower than expected”.

52.4k

Jul 10th 2019, 6:19 PM

# Social Welfare

Regina Doherty 'can't guarantee' pension increases in Budget 2020 because of Brexit

The Budget for 2020 will be announced in October – weeks before the UK is due to leave the EU.

15.6k

Jul 5th 2019, 11:47 AM

# Jobseekers

Over 200,000 people have been through JobPath, but only 11,000 have held down jobs for over a year

Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty says the government has a legally binding contract with the operators that it must honour.

23.6k

Feb 20th 2019, 6:01 AM