15-05-2025
New €266 weekly social welfare pay increase alert for Irish households amid ‘falling behind' warning after bill spike
CORE social welfare payments should be hiked to €266 each week to prevent Irish households from "falling behind" the rest of society, a think tank has said.
This would mean vital payments such as
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A new report from Social Justice Ireland indicates that the average weekly earnings for households across the country is €968.25.
The National Social Monitor report found that 30 per cent of Gross
Average Industrial Earnings is equivalent to 27.5 per cent of the new average earnings data being collected by the CSO.
This figure has been claimed to be the benchmark for "minimum social welfare payments and reflects a continuation of the previous benchmark using the current CSO earnings dataset."
And, as 27.5 per cent of average weekly earnings currently sits at €266.27, there is a shortfall of just over €22 between the minimum social welfare rates being paid in 2025 and the average earning of households across Ireland.
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The report stated: "By the end of 2024 average weekly earnings equalled €968.25.
"Taking this as the starting point for earnings in 2025, we can determine that the updated value of 27.5 per cent of average weekly earnings equals €266.27 implying a shortfall of just over €22 between the minimum social welfare rates being paid in 2025 - €244 - and this threshold."
Speaking to The Irish Sun, Susanne Rogers, Research and Policy Analyst, said payments needed to be increased to ensure those relying on social welfare are not "falling behind" others in society.
She said: "According to our calculations, if core social welfare rates were bench marked at 27.5 per cent of average earnings, the payment would currently be €266 a week, not €244 a week.
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"This level would mean that those relying on social welfare for all or part of their income would not be falling further behind the rest of society.
Little known social welfare benefits thousands are entitled to
"Every household in the country has seen their bills increase for the essentials - food and energy in particular.
"Low income households however, have stark choices to make between those essentials when costs rise and income doesn't. The heat or eat response."
She added that the
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She said: "Government must commit to bench marking payments so that those households are afforded an income level that provides for a basic but decent standard of living.
"Government has anti-poverty commitments in both the Roadmap for Social Inclusion and the Sustainable Development Goals and cannot hope to meet them unless core welfare rates are addressed."
CHILD BENEFIT
When it comes to
She explained: "Government has recognised and responded to the damage done to children who experience poverty by introducing the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office.
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"So as well as ensuring adequate levels of household income, housing would be the number one ask! Every month sees new record homelessness figures, many are children.
"Universal access to childcare is also vital for families."
COST OF LIVING LATEST
THE Taoiseach has signalled at an increase in social welfare payments and tax cuts after being slammed over the planned end to cost-of-living boosts.
But Micheal Martin again ruled out a specific repeat of the €2.6 billion cost-of-living package unveiled in Budget 2025.
The package - the
Yesterday, after facing stinging criticism from the opposition over the planned end to the
Responding to
He declared: "Our agenda and objective in the budget, when it comes in the autumn, will be again to provide within the social protection payment programme and in terms of taxation, to do what we can to alleviate the pressures on people."
Susanne added that there is currently an under investment in early
Among three to five-year-olds, in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Ireland now has the third lowest amount of expenditure at 0.3 per cent of GDP.
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She said: "One of the key challenges identified towards the provision of universal early childcare in Ireland is the market driven approach to provision at present.
"High staff turnover and poor pay and conditions are also a feature of the sector. 'First 5: A Whole of Government Strategy for Babies, Young Children and their Families' contains welcome high-level policy commitments and strategic actions to improve the lives of babies and children and their families.
LONG-TERM PLANNING NEEDED
"The Programme for Government also contains commitments on childcare and early years education.
"In order to deliver on these commitments for all children having access to safe, high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood education, long-term planning and sufficient resourcing are required."
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Susanne explained that high childcare costs present a "barrier to employment", particularly among young women with children.
She said: "An increase in the cost of childcare led to a decrease in the number of paid working hours for mothers.
"An increase in the cost of provision of just 10 per cent could lead to a 30 minute reduction in a mother's working hours."
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There has been a shortfall of €22
Credit: Getty Images - Getty
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