Social Welfare payment increases to kick in from this week

Cavan Social Welfare recipients are going to see increases in their payments to the value of €5 per week, beginning this week. That’s according Cavan/Monaghan Senator Joe O’Reilly.

“In Cavan approximately €51,121 social welfare payments are paid out, benefitting people and families right across the county. As promised in Budget 2017, the Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar is introducing €5 increases to all payments, starting this week.
“While it’s a modest increase, it’s a step in the right direction. For a lot of people it will be the first increase they have had in eight years,' said Senator O'Reilly. He emphasised the Fine Gael government's record on Social Weflare and ensuring that 'everyone benefits from our recent economic success, especially those people who need it most'. The introduction of the increases will be staggered, depending on the type of benefit between this Wednesday, March 8 and St Patrick's Day (scroll down to see table below with effective dates for different benefits).
This week, approximately 8,828 pensioners and 3,650 job seekers in Cavan will receive the €5 increase. Next week, 1,181 carers, 1,789 people with disabilities, lone parents, widows and widowers, those in receipt of the blind pension, and others will start to benefit.
Senator O'Reilly also pointed to changes to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and supports for the self employed.
Meanwhile, his party colleague, Minister for Rural Affairs, Heather Humphreys, has also welcomed the increases.
“This is the first increase for carers, blind people, people with disabilities, lone parents and widows under the age of 66 since their rates were cut by €16 a week by Fianna Fáil during the financial crisis, and it’s only the second increase awarded to pensioners since that time.
 “Fine Gael committed to increase the State pension by €5 during the last election and now, back in Government, we are delivering on that promise. Continued job creation and the economic recovery mean we have more money to invest in better services and provide increased supports to those who need it.”

 

Effective dates of operation of increases in weekly rates of payment, 2017