Cost

AND GAS BILLS John McGuinness TD John

In recognition of these ongoing challenges, we have introduced a range of cost of living supports to put money back into people’s pockets, help with the bills, and ensure there is no cliff-edge for the temporary measures already in place. These supports started last year, progressed through Budget 2023 and further measures have been announced in February to help ease the pressures on you.

Here are some of the supports for 2023 with the new measures

January:

• €500 rent relief for all rents payable upon application on Revenue.ie

• No cliff edge on fuel supports with lower VAT and excise on petrol, diesel and marked gas/oil in place until October 2023

• SUSI grant increase of 10-14% for recipients in place from Jan

• 9% VAT rate for Hospitality sector extended to end of August. This applies to cafes, restaurants, hotels, B&Bs, hairdressers and barbers etc

• Lower income tax threshold giving approx. €830 back to most workers

• 25% reduction in childcare fees

• €12 increase in weekly social welfare payments to pensioners, carers and people with disabilities

• Fuel Allowance expansion to 80,000 elderly people and if your gross income does not exceed €500 (single), €1,000 (couple)

• Free contraception, extended to 26-year-old women

March:

• €200 energy credit to all households

April:

• €200 payment to people on the Working Family Payment, lone parents, low-income families, carers, those on disability payments, and pensioners among others.

• Hospital inpatient charges abolished

June:

• €100 additional Child Benefit payment per child

• State exam fees waived for Junior and Leaving Cert students

July:

• Back to School clothing and Footwear allowance increase of €100 for qualifying children bringing the total payment to €260 for children aged 4-11 and €385 for children 12-22

September:

• Free school books for primary school students

• School Transport fees capped - €50 for primary student, €75 for post primary and €125 cap per family

• Expansion of Hot School Meals to all 64,500 DEIS primary students

• The income threshold for the 50% student contribution grant will increase from €55,240 to €62,000 per year

• The student contribution will be reduced by €500 for families earning between €62,000 and €100,000

• The Postgraduate SUSI fee grant will increase by €500

• The Apprentices contribution fee reduced by 33%

Cost of living supports delivered in 2022:

Here are some of the measures introduced to help;

• A Cost of Living Bonus Week to all Social Welfare recipients was paid October 2022, is in addition to a Christmas Bonus paid in December 2022

• €500 to those on Working Family Payment; €400 to those on Fuel Allowance; €200 to those on Living Alone Allowance; €500 to those on Disability Allowance, Invalidity or Blind Pension, Carer’s Support Grant

• €140 additional payment of Child Benefit for each child in November

• €1,000 reduction/relief on Student Registration Fees for 2022/2023

• Additional one month extra Maintenance Grant for Suzi recipients

• Electricity credits of €400 paid to all households

• Household Benefits Package: If you are aged 70 or over, you can qualify for all of the following free schemes regardless of your income or its source and regardless of who lives with you: Electricity or Natural Gas of €35 per month and a Free television licence

• Fuel Allowance: A Fuel Allowance of €33.00/ week payable for 28 weeks if you are on long-term Social Welfare with no more than €200 per week in household income over the contributory pension rate (now disregarding half rate Carers Allowance from income)

• Since September 2022 free contraception, for women aged 17–25, has been made available from GPs, primary care centres and pharmacists who sign up to provide services under the scheme.