Single parent families in 'perfect storm' financially

According to Treoir, Budget 2024 must be a child-focused budget targeted at alleviating poverty for vulnerable households.

The removal of the pandemic financial supports and the cost-of-living crisis have come together to create a ‘perfect storm’ for poverty and deprivation levels to increase, according to an organisation representing non-married parents and children.

According to the organisation, Treoir, Budget 2024 must be a child-focused budget targeted at alleviating poverty for vulnerable households.

The submission outlines: “It is important to bear in mind the barriers and poverty traps that people experience. The loss of a medical card, if a parent returns to work, the lack of affordable suitable childcare and the loss of housing supports, are not the responsibility of the Department of Social Protection. 

"But the lack of these supports trap people in an inter-generational cycle of poverty. The removal of the pandemic financial supports and the cost-of-living crisis have come together to create a ‘perfect storm’ for poverty and deprivation levels to increase.” 

The submission also says: “The ‘at risk of poverty’ rates are back to pre-covid levels, this indicates that the financial supports introduced during the pandemic did in fact make a difference to poverty rates. The withdrawal of these extra supports has contributed to a rise in poverty and deprivation rates.” 

The supports — including the Pandemic Unemployment Payment, the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme — were in place to help offset the restrictions imposed during the pandemic.

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Treoir says that Ireland needs “to move away from the culture of stigmatising welfare recipients towards a recognition of a dignified, adequate standard of living. In a modern, wealthy Ireland with a thriving economy and low unemployment, rising poverty and deprivation are morally wrong.” 

It is calling for a number of measures including an increase in the Guardians Payment to bring it into line with the Foster Care Payment, or the Jobseeker Allowance.

It also seeks the provision of a medical card and therapeutic supports for children and young people whose guardians are in receipt of the Guardian’s Payment.

The organisation also wants:

• Increase core social welfare rates in line with the cost of living.
• Extend the living alone allowance to one-parent families.
• Extend child benefit to over 18’s in post-primary education and in receipt of the back-to-school allowance.
• Lower the qualifying age of Back To Education Allowance and the Cost of Education Allowance which accompanies Back To Education Allowance for younger mothers.
• Make Additional Needs Payment available to young parents exiting homeless accommodation into rented accommodation.

Treoir provides information to non-married parents on areas of family law, available supports for families, and supports for successful shared parenting. It undertakes research of issues that impact non-marital families, as well as advocating for legal and social changes which support lone parent families and their children, according to the organisation.