SOCIAL PROTECTION MINISTER Leo Varadkar has confirmed that welfare measures announced in the Budget will come into effect in mid-March.

All weekly benefits will increase by €5 in the spring of 2017 and Varadkar said that the old age pension will be the first payment to experience the increase.

He said: “Budget 2017 and the social welfare measures in particular aim to ensure that everyone benefits from the recovery. The ESRI has already shown that Budget 2017 contains the greatest benefits for the least well off.

“The Government will implement the increases as early as resources allow. The Social Welfare bill therefore provides for the increases to come into effect from the second week of March.

“This will commence with the payment of the €5 increase for pensions on 10 March, with the remaining increases being applied to other benefits over the following six days as the payments for individual benefits fall due in accordance with the payment calendar.”

Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar. Paul Walsh Paul Walsh

Some of the payments to see an increase include:

• The State Pension
• Widow’s, Widower’s, Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension and Disablement Pension
• Carer’s Benefit
• Disability Allowance,
• Invalidity Pension,
• One Parent Family Payment
• Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance

Varadkar said the increase would benefit just under 1.5 million people in the country and said that March is the earliest possible time of year at which they can be commenced.

He also warned that an earlier date would mean the exclusion of certain groups of people.

Varadkar added: “I am now calling on all parties in the Dáil who support these measures to vote for the Social Welfare Bill and allow the increases to be implemented.”

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