Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys has today announced a €2.6 billion budget package that will support families, pensioners, carers and people with disabilities. The Social Protection package is the largest in the history of the State and will assist households through a mix of cost of living payments, targeted supports and across the board increases to weekly payments. There are a total of 10 Cost of Living payments, which will be made before Christmas and will support parents, pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities. Speaking to Northern Sound following today's Budget 2025 announcement, the local Minister said that she was "delighted" to announce the largest Social Protection Budget in the history of the State – over €2.6 billion worth of measures aimed at supporting our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities and working families.
Minister Humphreys continued; "This Budget is about giving people a bit of extra help and putting money back in their pockets. It’s a Budget that places a strong focus on supporting family right across the State, while also tackling issues like child poverty. I’m pleased to announce that every primary school child in the country will receive a hot dinner in the middle of the day in 2025, as part of a major expansion of the Hot School Meals programme. The Budget will deliver a significant package for our family carers with a significant increase in the means test limits and the extension of Carer’s Benefit to the self-employed.
"There is also a big focus on supporting older people – people who have worked hard all their lives. I’m pleased that there will be a €12 increase in the State pension, as well as the other weekly rates. I am reducing the age criteria for the Fuel Allowance means test from 70 to 66 with effect from January 2025. A new companion pass for the over 70s will also be introduced in this Budget as part of my aim to tackling isolation and helping our older people stay active. I am also today announcing a series of 10 once off payments which will all be paid before Christmas. These payments provide nearly €1.5 billion in support to individuals that will ease the financial pressure facing many households."
