The social welfare increases in the last budget

amandstu

I noticed an increase in my payments this week.

Have all the social welfare increases announced in the last budget now been applied?

ari101

Most of the main ones but not all, things like WFP and Carer's don't change til the Summer and there's a fuel allowance increase for next Winter effective October. If you look on citizens information there is a list with dates.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/budgets/budget_2022.html#ladfa1

Cherry Blossom

The increase in the disregard for means testing for DA has not been applied yet. It will be done ‘in due course’.

Fendy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434686#Comment_118434686

The fuel allowance increase was applied in October 2021, it is now €33 per week.

mystic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118435204#Comment_118435204

It states June 2022 in this link https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/318a9-budget-2022/

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434686#Comment_118434686

The weekly rate of Carer's Allowance increased in January 2022. It's the savings/capital disregard that's changing in June 2022.

Another useful resource is the 2022 rates of payment. SW 19.

https://assets.gov.ie/11117/6beb1ad2f51346f4ad6f27db1c473e59.pdf

zell12

Has any specific date been given for the recently announced €125 fuel allowance payment in 'early March' ?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118683454#Comment_118683454

Nothing updated from what I can see, just saying early March 😏

SourSessions

Some papers report it's this coming week, others say 'around Paddy's Day'

The first full week of March, ie, the week of the 7th onward would make sense.

zell12

So, eh, any specific date for this one? - A further €100 fuel allowance payment is to be paid sometime in May 2022.

SourSessions

'Mid-may' is all I've seen

SourSessions

"in coming days"

https://www.sundayworld.com/news/irish-news/100-fuel-allowance-bonus-to-be-paid-to-eligible-households-in-coming-days-41621199.html

Necro

Due the week of the 16th May is the info I have. So whatever day you get your payment that week the extra 100 will accompany it.

amandstu

I read in one newspaper that there is another 100eu lump sum for fuel allowance receivers.

Is that correct?Coming very soon?

SourSessions

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119068307#Comment_119068307

Read the post directly above yours.

zell12

Finally confirmed this week

https://www.thejournal.ie/fuel-allowance-today-100-5765220-May2022/

and

Humphreys also said that people who may be depending on a social welfare payment each week or who may be working and on low incomes may qualify for an exceptional or urgent needs payment to help with their heating needs.

Though I have not heard of anyone getting ENP for heat/electrical

SourSessions

There's a heating supplement that falls under the SWA scheme, maybe they mean that?

Dempo1

I think the Minister referring to the exceptional needs payment scheme which requires making contact with a CWO , the Heating supplement is an option but heavily means tested I believe and intended for those who perhaps through illness etc have additional heating needs.

I would imagine both very , very difficult to get and not as easy to get despite the Ministers assertions.

Worth pointing out MABS also have a scheme to assist with utility bills , I believe limited to EI and Bord Gas customers at present but being expanded given the crisis.

zell12

No it is an ENP/UNP under the SWA to help with bills, this says it is new https://www.rsvplive.ie/news/irish-news/government-launch-new-welfare-payment-26312546

Given that we have the exceptional needs payment as well as the urgent needs payment, we should be calling this just the needs payment. It does not matter how much someone works - if he or she has an urgent need, he or she can approach a community welfare officer and ask for assistance. The rule on 30 hours working is not stopping people from getting support. There are two strands - essential needs and urgent needs. The rule is not depriving people of support. The urgent needs payment has no cap. It is demand led and we have spent €42 million on it per annum in recent years. If more is needed, we will provide it. In recent weeks, we announced a package of support measures worth €1 billion to assist with energy costs. https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2022-03-22a.255

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119071755#Comment_119071755

I take that with a Tiny grain of salt, no disrespect intended, The ENP has been in existence for years and incredibly difficult to get , I also suspect this new UNP is essentially the same thing and both means tested.

There seems to be this narrative by government that it's just a case of popping down to your local intero centre and ask for a few bob to pay a utility bill, I have to doubt its as simple as this. Its early days and time might prove me wrong but if things keep going the way they are , Intero centres can expect large queues particularly next winter.