Colm Brophy
Question:269. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing invalidity pension by €5. [45960/24]
View answerThursday, 7 November 2024
Questions (269)
Written answers
My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.
Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by PRSI contributions. To qualify, the person must have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months; or must be permanently incapable of work.
The current maximum personal rate of Invalidity Pension is €237.50 per week. If this figure was increased by €5 per week, based on recipient figures from the end of September 2024 (56,201), the additional cost would be €14.6 million per annum.
I am committed to improving outcomes for people with a disability and as a result, I announced an extensive range of cost of living measures to support people with disabilities in Budget 2025 including a €12 increase in the maximum personal rate of weekly disability payments, including Invalidity Pension, from January 2025. There will be proportionate increases for people on a reduced rate.
Other improvements for people with disabilities include:
• October 2024 cost of living bonus for people in receipt of a long term weekly social welfare payment.
• €400 cost of living lump sum payment for people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension, paid in November 2024.
• €300 cost of living lump sum payment to all households getting Fuel Allowance, paid in November 2024.
• €200 cost of living lump sum payment to people who are getting a Living Alone Increase, paid in November 2024.
• €100 cost of living lump sum payment for people getting a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child), paid for each qualified child in November 2024.
• Christmas bonus to all persons in receipt of a long-term disability payment to be paid in December 2024.
• Weekly rates of Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) will increase by €8 to €62 for those aged 12 and over, and by €4 to €50 for under 12s in January 2025
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.