Budget 2024 – Social Protection/Social Welfare
PRSI
All PRSI contribution rates will be increased by 0.1% from 1 October 2024.
Social Welfare Payments
The following changes to social welfare payments were announced:
- All weekly social welfare payments will increase by €12 with effect from January 2024 with a proportionate increase for qualified adult dependants (i.e. State Pension will increase from €265.30 to €277.30; Maternity Benefit, Parent’s Benefit and Paternity Benefit will increase from €262 to €274; while Illness Benefit and Jobseeker’s Benefit will increase from €220 to €232 per week).
- The qualified child rate will increase by €4 to €46 for a child under 12 years and to €54 for a child over 12 years.
- Parent’s Benefit will increase to 9 weeks from August 2024.
- Income threshold for the Working Family Payment will increase by €54 per week from January 2024, regardless of family size.
- The Carer’s Allowance income disregard will increase to €450 for a single person and €900 for a couple.
- The Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase by €10 a month from January 2024.
- The Foster Care rate increases by €75 for a child under 12 years of age and €73 for children over 12 increasing the weekly rate to €400 and €425 respectively.
From September 2024, Child Benefit will be extended to include children over the age of 18 who are in full time education.
Social Welfare One-off Payments
The following one-off payments will be made in November 2023:
- €400 payment will be paid to those in receipt of the Carer’s Supports Grant, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension and the Working Family Payment.
- €300 payment will be paid to those in receipt of Fuel Allowance
- €200 payment will be paid to those in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance (i.e. pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase).
- €100 will be paid to those in receipt of the Qualified Child payment.
Parents in receipt of Child Benefit will receive a double payment (i.e. an additional €140 per child) in December 2023.
A Christmas bonus of 100% of an individual’s weekly payment will also be paid in December 2023 to recipients of long-term social welfare payments.
A cost of living bonus of 100% of an individual’s weekly payment will be paid in January 2024 to recipients of long-term social welfare payments.
Pay Related Benefit Scheme A Pay Related Benefit Scheme will be introduced in December 2024 for people who become unemployed. This scheme will be subject to Government approval and pending final design.
