Working families, carers, and pensioners to get welfare increase in budget

Heather Humphreys has also confirmed that targeted mortgage relief will feature in the package to be unveiled by the Government this week.. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

Working families, carers, pensioners and people with disabilities will be better off after Tuesday's budget with across-the-board welfare increases confirmed.

Parents will also receive a double child benefit payment before Christmas, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has strongly indicated.

However, an increase to the core rate of child benefit is unlikely.

The Fine Gael minister has also confirmed that targeted mortgage relief will feature in the package to be unveiled by the Government this week.

Ms Humphreys is due to meet Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe on Sunday to hammer out the exact detail of welfare increases, however, it is expected that payments will jump by at least €12 per week.

"I am proposing that we have an across-the-board increase in welfare payments and we'll also have a package of lump sum payments that are targeted at specific areas," Ms Humphreys said.

"I'll be pushing hard to deliver a strong package that supports households with the cost of living and puts money back in people's pockets. And there's no secret that the groups I'm advocating strongly for are older people, are carers, people with disabilities and working families."

Ms Humphreys added that she is working on pay-related social welfare to protect people from a sudden drop in income if they lose their jobs.

She said the double child welfare payment given to families last year "got very positive feedback".

But she added that the measures announced on Tuesday "won't go far enough" to meet all of the demands as there is "still a limited pot available".

Asked about mortgage interest relief, Ms Humphreys said the Government is "very conscious" that some mortgage holders are now paying up to €600 more a month due to interest rate hikes.

"As a government, we want to try and help them, it certainly won't go all the way, but Minister McGrath has been working on this matter and I think he plans to announce details on Tuesday as well," she told RTÉ radio.