Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 June 2026
404. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the average annual amount received per recipient household under working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment, and the child support payment, in tabular form. [46773/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra405. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the distribution of payments received under working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment; and the child support payment, by number of qualified children and payment band, in tabular form. [46774/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra406. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Social Protection the maximum annual amount received by any household under working family payment, one-parent family payment, jobseeker’s transitional payment, and the child support payment, in tabular form. [46775/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 404, 405 and 406 together.
The Child Support Payment, formerly known as the Increase for a Qualified Child, is not a standalone payment but is a top-up on an underlying payment. It is payable across a range of payments including Pensions, Illness Disability and Caring, and Working Age Income Supports. The Child Support Payment is paid in respect of each eligible child, with a higher rate payable for children over 12. Accordingly, persons with more, and older, qualifying children will receive higher payment amounts.
Working Family Payment pays 60% of the difference between a person’s earnings and the thresholds set for the payment relative to family size, with a minimum weekly payment of €20. The thresholds for Working Family Payment increase in line with the number of children. The rates of Working Family Payment are therefore relative to both the number of children in the family, and the recipient’s earnings. Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is administered as a form of Jobseeker’s Allowance, and expenditure and payments on Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment are not separately identifiable from Jobseeker’s Allowance.
It is not possible to report on the payments nor expenditure relating solely to the Child Support Payment. The banded gross payment amounts issued in respect of Working Family Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance, and One Parent Family Payment, in 2025 at the individual level. This is based on gross payments only; it includes arrears payments that issued in 2025, and has not been adjusted for any overpayments, repayments, etc, and should not be understood to reflect the expenditure on these schemes. Payment values also include any additional allowances which were paid with the primary payment, such as the Child Support Payment, Fuel Allowance, etc.
|
Gross Payment Received (2025) |
Working Family Payment |
One Parent Family Payment |
Jobseeker's Allowance |
|
0-999 |
3,845 |
647 |
17,984 |
|
1,000-4,999 |
20,570 |
4,201 |
63,618 |
|
5,000-9,999 |
21,632 |
5,869 |
48,069 |
|
10,000-14,999 |
12,635 |
8,552 |
53,637 |
|
15,000-19,999 |
4,351 |
20,257 |
15,542 |
|
20,000-24,999 |
949 |
9,904 |
7,580 |
|
25,000+ |
202 |
2,196 |
5,104
|
Average payment values are published by my Department in its quarterly statistical report, which is available through gov.ie/dsp/statistics. These values are also based on gross payment values. The table below sets out the quarterly average for each quarter in 2025.
|
2025 |
Working Family Payment |
One Parent Family Payment |
Jobseeker's Allowance |
|
Q1 |
€194 |
€324 |
€268 |
|
Q2 |
€186 |
€324 |
€266 |
|
Q3 |
€180 |
€325 |
€269 |
|
Q4 |
€188 |
€378 |
€305
|
