Increased Payment Disregard To Benefit Working Lone Parents

The amount a lone parent while retaining their full One-Parent Family or Jobseeker's Transitional payment has been increased, the Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar, has announced.

Under the new measures, brought into effect on Thursday 05 january, existing and new working lone parents can earn up to €110 per week, and increase of €20.

Introducing the increase, Minister Varadkar said: "This measure further builds on the Budget 2016 measure which increased the income disregard of the Jobseeker's Transitional Payment from €60 a week to €90 a week. In doing so it ensures that Jobseeker's Transitional Payment recipients who are working will gain more income at the end of each week.

The Jobseeker's Transitional Payment is available to lone parents who have a youngest child aged between seven and 13 years. These customers are exempt from the Jobseeker's Allowance conditions that require them to be available for, and genuinely seeking, full-time work.

Minister Varadkar added: "No lone parent with a child aged under 14 years is required to take-up employment in order to receive income support from the Department of Social Protection. They also have the option of availing of education and moving into employment, including into part-time employment, and continue to receive a Social Welfare payment. The weekly income disregard for Jobseeker's Transitional Payment means test is €110 with effect from today with the balance assessed at 50%."

Almost 13,000 One-Parent Family Payment recipients are expected to benefit from the increase in the payment disregard, while also benefiting almost 5,000 recipients of the Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.

(MH/CD)