Some changes announced in Budget 2025 have now come into effect. The cut-off limit for the standard rate of income tax was increased yesterday by €2.000.
Social Welfare rates have risen by €12 euro a week, while the cost of fuel went up by two cent a litre. Minimum wage increased by 80 cent to €13.50 an hour - while the USC was cut from four to three per cent.
While welcoming some of the changes, Michelle Murphy, Research and Policy Analyst with Social Justice Ireland, says the important one-off household payments will end in April: "We will see some additional payments, I suppose one-off lump sum payments particularly for those on welfare but, most of those temporary payments - and they are welcome and they're targeted at those lower income households - but by April this year they will be phased out," Ms Murphy explained, "That's the end of those payments and that's concerning particularly for us because without those payments particularly among older people, poverty would be double the rate that it is now."
