Seven is too young

BUDGET 2012 | THE CUTS HITTING ONE-PARENT FAMILIES

 » BY FRANCES BYRNE CEO of OPEN, representing lone-parent groups in Ireland

THE untold story of the 2012 Budget is, without question, the dramatic changes to social welfare provision for 92,000 one-parent families.  There were a set of general cuts, which affected families who rely on a weekly, means-tested social income support such as the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, Rent Supplement and the Fuel Allowance.

For our families, though, there were a series of additional ‘reforms’ which were part of the last Social Welfare Bill of 2011:

•            The ‘Earnings Disregard’ element of the One-parent Family Payment (OFP) was reduced by €16.50 to a weekly amount of €130. And the department has signalled that this will reduce further over four years to €60 per week.

•            For lone parents on Community Employment (CE) before January 2012, the Qualified Child Increase (€29.80 per week per child) of their CE payment would no longer be paid from 20 February 2012.

•            Recipients of the OFP who begin a CE scheme will no longer receive a reduced OFP payment.