UPDATE ON SOCIAL WELFARE CHANGES FOR LONE PARENTS.
SEVEN IS TOO YOUNG! a report from OPEN on the dramatic changes for lone parents on social welfare in the Republic of Ireland which were announced at the end of 2011.
Some of these have come into effect already, with others to begin from February 20th; with the most worrying yet to be presented as a Bill in the Dail. The latter one will see the withdrawal of the One-parent Family Payment when the youngest child in a family is 7 years old. As you know, as well as the deepening recession, characterised by widespread unemployment, there will also be a severe childcare deficit.
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BUDGET 2012 – UPDATE FROM OPEN FOR LONE PARENTS ON COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT
OPEN is aware of conflicting information circulating about changes for lone parents who are on Community Employment (CE). We contacted the Department this morning (January 27) and they have now issued this note, which will also be part of a letter due to be sent out soon to all of those who are affected by this change:
In Budget 2012, a number of changes were made to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP). One of the changes made is that increases for qualified children are no longer payable on the Community Employment (CE) scheme when a similar increase is being made on the One-Parent Family Payment scheme. In addition, the amount of earnings you are allowed to have without affecting your payment has been reduced from €146.50 to €130 per week. As a result of the Budget measure, your qualified child increase on the CE scheme will cease from 20th February 2012. Your new weekly rate of payment on Community Employment will be €208 per week. While your weekly rate of CE will be reduced, it is understood that your One-Parent Family payment will be recalculated, at the same time, to take account of your reduced CE earnings and the revised One-Parent Family earnings disregard of €130 per week. Your One-Parent Family Payment will increase to partially offset the reduction in your CE payment but, on an overall basis, your combined income from CE and OFP will be reduced. Letters to this effect will be issuing shortly from the Department of Social Protection. ****************************************Lone parents respond to Budget 2011
December 8, 2011 – it has been almost 24 hours since Budget 2011 was announced.
It is fair to say that since OPEN was founded in 1994 by 8 local lone parent groups, lone parents have never reacted so angrily to a Budget announcement. Online and on radio and television stations, lone parents are frustrated and concerned.
There are 3 things which have really angered our families.
No comfort to cushion the blow:
58% of lone parents have one child. Those with 1 child who survive on social welfare received cuts yesterday totaling €530 next year. This includes a €10 per month reduction in child benefit which was not compensated to families on weekly social welfare payments as was the case this year. So there was no attempt to soften the blow for the families who will really feel the impact of this cut. 65% of children in poverty in Ireland are growing up in one-parent families – these changes will have a huge and lasting impact on those children.
No comfort from the cold:
The government has made no change to the fuel allowance payment. Last year they promised to provide poor families with a voucher or other payment to compensate them for the carbon levy. There has been no compensation and to make matters worse, as part of the 4 year plan, our government has committed to doubling the levy with no commitment to help those in poverty to cope. Yesterday families who receive Fuel Allowance (€20 per week from September – April) were told they would get a one-off payment of €40 to cover costs associated with the current cold spell – this is actually an insult to these families.
No comfort for their futures:
In spite of repeated promises to protect the poorest, the government in fact confirmed yesterday that these savage cuts will be repeated in the next three budgets. This has caused widespread concern among low income families who have genuine fears about the futures of their already hard-pressed families.
As well as these announced changes, OPEN is really concerned about the proposed €1 cut to the hourly minimum wage. This will drive down the wages of all of those on low incomes and create a climate where the reduction of basic social welfare payments will in future be deemed as vital to ‘make work pay’. It will not create one job. For lone parents who are desperate to become economically independent, this cut will add hugely to their sense of despair. A low minimum wage will halt their progress and a cycle of dependence on state payments and supports will become more vicious and difficult to break. It is an act of economic and social vandalism. We can never trust again empty promises to ‘protect the vulnerable’ if our Dail votes to cut the National Minimum Wage.
Various media and other reaction from lone parents is on our website (www.oneparent.ie) and our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/we-are-open).
OPEN’s CEO Frances Byrne was on Sunshine 106.8 this morning talking about the budget cuts. You can listen to that here Radio Interview
More coverage with OPEN’s CEO Frances Byrne and Barnados CEO Fergus Finlay on Irelands poorest families on TV3 AM TV3 Morning Ireland AM – Budget 2011
Irish Examiner coverage budget2011supplement
