27,000 working families claim emergency welfare funds

MORE than 27,000 working families have been forced to claim emergency welfare payments as they are not earning enough to make ends meet.

The family income supplement, which gives extra financial support to working people on low pay with children, has cost almost €150 million. The Department of Social Protection says this benefits at least 60,000 children.

In 2007, before the recession, 22,000 families claimed the benefit, but this has risen ever since. In 2006, the scheme cost €107m.