Budget 2024

I see a lot of proposed goodies in the bag! Santa might arrive early this year.

Just one question: We are in debt to the tune of about 250 billion euro. Not a word about that anymore. And interests rates keep going up all the time.

A reduction in USC coming and some energy credits: https://www.rte.ie/news/2023/1001/1408370-credits-budget/

Also mentioned is a delay in implementing the fuel excise due to kick in end of October - but how is fuel going up so much in the meantime?

There will be some one off measures, but not as big as last year, I took ‘one off measures to mean lump sum payments.

https://www.thejournal.ie/taoiseach-defends-budget-plan-6183335-Sep2023/

This morning

There's been Chatter about something like a temporary mortgage interest relief for those on the Highest rates & at risk of loosing their homes.

I don't believe it will happen as it would be very difficult to administer. I could be wrong

"He said he was anxious that the Budget would be fair in the first instance and that lower paid workers in particular would benefit from the taxation measures."

So either the middle is now the lower paid or we are having another social welfare bonus budget paid for by the middle.

Yikes.

Its important for carers that they increase the disregard rather than raising the weekly payment.

Govt will try to say how great they are but weekly rises are feck all use to the disabled and carers when it'll be taken off them if their partner gets a 20 a week payrise.

I'm actually Surpised there's not been a crash. The talk of full employment belies the fact a number of sectors continue to struggle, especially hospitality & small retail. Enormous warehoused pandemic debts remained unpaid. There's also a looming crisis in the commercial property sector with vacancy rates at an all time high.

The mortgage arrears situation had improved until interest rates started to rise, those with mortgages purchased by vulture funds now paying rates as high as 9% even first time buyers & those who came off fixed rates being hammered.

As it happens I'm in negotiations to clear my relatively small mortgage with a Vulture Fund. I had a meeting with MABS recently and they are swamped, they are dealing with an avalanche of issues ranging from Utility Bills arrears, Mortgage arrears & personal loan defaults. I also know people in the Credit Union sector and loan defaults, worryingly high.

I'm just amazed how working families are coping with this current cost of living crisis which has affected everyone. As for those on SW or fixed low incomes, (I'm now on DA) are coping with derisory €12 per week rises, Its impossible to understand, a weekly food shop for a single person is up at least €20 per week & we know energy bills staggeringly high.

I'm not expecting much from the Budget.

A criminal budget. Carers once again ignored all over the country although they are saving the govt. 20 billion per year. Lumped in with dole scroungers and given 12 poxy euro a week.

An increase in the disregard for the means test was needed but yet again they are given the two fingers.

Many carers in the country not recognised at all. " You can earn up to 38k per year net before the carers allowance weekly rate is cut". Miserable fuckers. 38k is nothing.

Yes. That's the worrying trend being set over the course of the last two budgets. A race tot he bottom in my opinion. The disabled , carers and pensioners deserve more than this.

The noises coming from Humphries after she met the carers representatives were positive for sure. Just goes to show you what she thinks of them too.

Is the earnings from work disregard for DA not increased in line with minimum wage. Listening at work and it got noisy in the office. Not sure if I missed it or it isn’t happening.

I was wrong and fully take back what i said.

Tuesday, 10th October 2023: Family Carers Ireland is hopeful that the increase in the Carer’s Allowance income disregard, as confirmed in Budget 2024, will mark an important first step in overhauling a scheme that is outdated and no longer fit for purpose.

The announcement that the income disregard for a single person will rise from €350 to €450, and from €750 to €900 for a couple, will ensure that a large number of family carers, who were previously ineligible for Carer’s Allowance due to the means test, may now qualify for financial support.

Family Carers Ireland had called on the Government to use this budget to initiate a four-year journey, incrementally increasing the income disregard for Carer’s Allowance each year, with the ultimate goal of abolishing the means test and introducing a participation income for full-time family carers by 2027.

Family Carers Ireland welcomes the announcement of a €400 one-off payment to those in receipt of the non-means-tested Carer’s Support Grant. However, the organisation is keen to see this increase maintained and improved upon in the coming years, recognising its significance as financial support for family carers. This payment will also be extended to those receiving the Domiciliary Care Allowance, which will increase by €10 per week.

While a €12 increase in weekly social payments may provide some relief to those receiving Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit, it falls short of Family Carers Ireland’s call for both payments to be increased to €325. This increase would acknowledge the substantial and unavoidable expenses that caring families encounter.

Among the other measures confirmed are the payment of the Christmas bonus in December, a one-off double social welfare payment next January, a €100 increase in the Home Carer Tax Credit, a €200 rise in the Incapacitated Child Tax Credit, and funding for an additional 1,200 special needs assistants.

Reacting to today’s budget announcements, Catherine Cox, Head of Communication and Policy at Family Carers Ireland, commented:

"We are extremely pleased to see positive movement in terms of reforming the Carer’s Allowance scheme. The increase in the income disregard will mean that many family carers who were unfairly excluded from the scheme, often due to a partner’s income, may now receive some financial support from the State.

“While these budgetary measures are welcomed, they are steps along a longer journey. It is vital that we now build on this momentum in the years ahead to realise our ambition of abolishing the means test completely and introducing a participation income for full-time family carers that provides the financial support and recognition that they truly deserve.

“While there are positives from today’s announcement, respite and support services remain fragmented and inconsistent, making it even more challenging for family carers to access the help they desperately need. We urgently need a more cohesive and coordinated approach to respite and support services generally. This includes improved access, increased funding, and better integration with other healthcare services to ensure that family carers have access to respite when they need it.

“There is so much more to do to ensure family carers are adequately supported. The measures announced today appear to be a step in the right direction, but it is vital that much more is done to ensure that supports and services for family carers and their loved ones are improved upon into the future.

“We need to see far greater commitment to and investment in our care system for there to be any hope of it being fit for purpose.”

I can't see it either but I had to dig for the carers disregard.

It seems like everyone is getting the January bonus. Christmas bonus is usually for long-term payments. We won't know until they release the official guidelines I guess.

....."a qualifying social welfare payment"....which are?

I - and many others- asked the same question last year- and the year before. It took them some time to come up with a list of payments who qualified for the bonus! It was even on the radio. They create the same uncertainty every time.

Looks like both will be for long-term social welfare recipients.

I was just curious, when where seperate allowances/Benefits, such as living alone, Household Benefit etc increased 🤔