Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
610. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other weekly schemes and other schemes payments (details supplied), in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45032/26]
View answerThe tables below outline the estimated annual cost of increasing social welfare schemes by €1. Note that rounding may affect totals.
It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and the associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.
It should also be noted that these costings include proportionate increases for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
|
Summary of Total Cost |
|
|
|
|
|
Payment |
|
Personal |
Qualified Adult |
Total |
|
|
|
€m |
€m |
€m |
|
Social Insurance Schemes |
|
|
|
|
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
|
€ 26.37 |
€ 1.68 |
€ 28.05 |
|
Bereaved Partner’s or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension |
Under 66yrs |
€ 1.46 |
|
€ 1.46 |
|
|
Over 66Yrs |
€ 4.93 |
|
€ 4.93 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
Under 66yrs |
€ 0.04 |
|
€ 0.04 |
|
|
Over 66Yrs |
€ 0.14 |
|
€ 0.14 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
|
€ 2.76 |
€ 0.13 |
€ 2.89 |
|
Partial Capacity Benefit |
|
€ 0.10 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.10 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
|
€ 0.07 |
|
€ 0.07 |
|
Death Benefit Pension |
|
€ 0.03 |
|
€ 0.03 |
|
Disablement Pension |
|
€ 0.23 |
|
€ 0.23 |
|
Illness Benefit |
|
€ 2.66 |
€ 0.07 |
€ 2.73 |
|
Injury Benefit |
|
€ 0.01 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.02 |
|
Incapacity Supplement |
|
€ 0.04 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.04 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
|
€ 0.66 |
€ 0.07 |
€ 0.73 |
|
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self Employed) |
|
€ 0.03 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.03 |
|
Carer's Benefit |
|
€ 0.24 |
€ - |
€ 0.24 |
|
Health and Safety Benefit |
|
€ 0.00 |
€ - |
€ 0.00 |
|
Maternity & Adoptive Benefit |
|
€ 0.98 |
€ - |
€ 0.98 |
|
Paternity & Parent's Benefit |
|
€ 0.43 |
€ - |
€ 0.43 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Social Assistance Schemes |
|
|
|
|
|
State Pension (Non Con) |
|
€ 5.21 |
€ 0.10 |
€ 5.31 |
|
Blind Person's Pension |
|
€ 0.04 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.05 |
|
Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Con) Pension |
|
€ 0.05 |
|
€ 0.05 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
|
€ 0.00 |
|
€ 0.00 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
|
€ 2.26 |
|
€ 2.26 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
Under 66yrs |
€ 2.75 |
€ - |
€ 2.75 |
|
|
66yrs or Over |
€ 0.09 |
€ - |
€ 0.09 |
|
Half Rate Carer's Allowance |
Under 66yrs |
€ 0.75 |
|
€ 0.75 |
|
|
66yrs or Over |
€ 0.50 |
|
€ 0.50 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) |
|
€ 0.03 |
|
€ 0.03 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance Max Rate |
|
€ 5.55 |
€ 0.69 |
€ 6.24 |
|
JA age 18 to 24 |
|
€ 0.83 |
€ 0.05 |
€ 0.87 |
|
Disability Allowance |
|
€ 9.01 |
€ 0.54 |
€ 9.55 |
|
Farm Assist |
|
€ 0.15 |
€ 0.04 |
€ 0.19 |
|
Employment Support Schemes (BTWA & BTEA) |
|
€ 0.22 |
€ 0.02 |
€ 0.24 |
|
Employment/Internship Schemes (CE, Tús, RSS etc.) |
|
€ 1.43 |
€ 0.17 |
€ 1.60 |
|
Work Placement Experience Programme |
|
€ 0.01 |
€ 0.00 |
€ 0.01 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
|
€ 0.54 |
€ 0.04 |
€ 0.58 |
|
TOTAL |
|
70.62 |
3.62 |
74.23 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of €1 Change - Weekly Schemes |
|
|
|
Total €m |
|
Pensioners - Aged 66 years and over |
|
|
State Pension (Contributory), Invalidity Pension (Aged 65), Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit, State Pension (Non-Con), Carer's Allowance, Half Rate Carer's Allowance |
€ 39.13 |
|
|
|
|
Working Age - Aged under 66 years |
|
|
|
|
|
People With Disabilities |
|
|
Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Incapacity Supplement, Disablement Pension |
€ 12.76 |
|
|
|
|
Carers |
|
|
Carer's Allowance, Half Rate Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit |
€ 3.73 |
|
|
|
|
All Other Rates* |
|
|
Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory), Deserted Wife's Benefit, Death Benefit Pension, Partial Capacity Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness Benefit, Health & Safety Benefit, Injury Benefit, Guardian's Payment (Contributory), Jobseeker's Allowance, Pre-Retirement Allowance, Bereaved Partner’s (Non-Con), Deserted Wife's Allowance, Farm Assist, One Parent Family Payment, SWA, Guardian's Payment (Non-Con), Part Time Job Incentive, Maternity/Adoptive/Paternity/Parent's Benefit |
€ 16.72 |
|
|
|
|
Employment Supports/Internships |
|
|
Back To Work Allowance, Back To Education Allowance, Community Employment Programme, TÚS, Rural Social Scheme, Jobs Initiative, Work Placement Experience Programme |
€ 1.85 |
|
|
|
|
Overall Total - including Pensioners |
€ 74.20 |
|
|
|
|
Changes to other Schemes/Payments |
|
|
|
Total €m |
|
€1 change in the monthly rate of Child Benefit |
€ 15.19 |
|
|
|
|
€1 change in the rate of Fuel Allowance |
€ 13.17 |
|
|
|
|
Change to the duration of the Fuel Allowance - cost of an additional week |
€ 17.85 |
|
|
|
|
€1 change in the rate of Qualified Child Increase - age under 12 |
€ 8.78 |
|
|
|
|
€1 change in the rate of Qualified Child Increase - age 12 and over |
€ 6.17 |
|
|
|
|
€1 change in the rate of Living Alone Allowance (for everyone) |
€ 13.35 |
|
- Pensioners only |
€ 11.06 |
|
- Other schemes (Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension |
€ 2.2 |
