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The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
Social welfare €16 weekly rate boost & Child Benefit €6 & €15 hike calls in Budget 2026 key ‘tangible differences' alert
INCREASING child supports, living alone and disability payments in Budget 2026 will "give support where it is most needed" amid rising living costs, according to a leading Irish charity. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul ( Advertisement 3 The poverty charity expects 250,000 calls this year Credit: Getty 3 SVP made 15 suggestions in its pre-Budget statement Credit: Getty Budget 2026 will see It comes as the volunteer organisation expects the amount of calls for help this year to approach 250,000. And they said that "financial adequacy and stability" must be at the heart of social protection measures "to prevent further hardship". Advertisement READ MORE IN MONEY The group's Delivering an Equal and Inclusive Budget submission includes 19 measures that focus on tackling child poverty, in-work poverty, childcare, housing, living alone, One of the key suggestions is to increase the core adult social protection rate by €16 per week, bringing it to €260. The "Without this increase that accounts for inflationary pressure since 2020, low-income households are falling further behind." Advertisement Most read in Money A second suggestion is that child support is increased by €6 for under 12s and €15 for over 12s. They explained that the evidence is based on Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) 2025 report, which claims that current rates fall behind the necessary amount to ensure income equality for children. New round of $1,702 'permanent' stimulus checks to automatically hit accounts in just days – see if yours is on the way SVDP said: " It shows that for children aged 12 and over, current payments meet just 64% of their essential needs, while for those in primary "Older children in particular face increased costs related to education, nutrition, and social inclusion, and these costs are not reflected in the current child supports structure." Advertisement A third call made by the charity is an increase of the living alone allowance, paid out to those who are living by themselves and receiving a social They explained that the increase would be a targeted measure to support households facing a disproportionately higher cost of living relative to multi-person households. WEEKLY DISABILITY PAYMENT SVDP also called on the government to introduce a weekly €55 They said: "This is in response to what SVP members witness firsthand from people living with a disability, such as the additional costs of transport, difficulties accessing employment, or the burden of extra heating needs." Advertisement Rose McGowan, SVP National President, said: 'For Budget 2026, we are appealing to the government to focus on a holistic approach to make real and tangible differences for the most vulnerable in our society.' 'The latest Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) figures are deeply concerning – consistent poverty has increased from 3.6% to 5%, with an even higher increase for children, jumping from 4.8% to 8.5% in just one year. 'CONSISTENT POVERTY' "That's over 45,000 more children now living in consistent poverty. These are not abstract statistics – they represent children growing up in cold bedrooms, going to school hungry, and missing out on the social and educational experiences that are fundamental to a healthy childhood.' 'We know from our experience on the frontline that the right policy choices do make a difference – we saw it with the introduction of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. Advertisement "Budget 2026 must continue that momentum, with targeted structural reforms to ensure adequate incomes and real pathways out of poverty.' SVP Head of Social Policy, Louise Bayliss said: 'The temporary, one-off cost-of-living payments from the government provided critical short-term relief in recent years. MAIN PROPOSALS Other key recommendations proposed by SVP for the forthcoming Budget: Increase and Index-Link the Income Disregard for One-Parent Family Payment (OPFP) and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) Make childcare affordable by increasing the subsidy and threshold for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). Ensure every child in emergency accommodation has access to a child support worker. Continue the roll out of free hot school meals to all children and ensure ongoing evaluation of the nutritional content. Increase the provision of social housing stock and affordable cost rental homes for vulnerable and low-income households. Introduce a homeless prevention budget amounting to 20% of all homeless expenditure. Provide capital funding to address the long-term accommodation needs for those in direct provision with status to remain. Allocate €10 million to establish local, publicly run Early Childhood, Education and Care (ECEC) services. Make our state education system truly free by removing costs and charges to families including mock exam and correction fees, electronic devices and school uniforms. Benchmark SUSI grants and reckonable income levels against the cost of living. Increase Fuel Allowance by €9.50 per week. Extend the Fuel Allowance to recipients of the working Family Payment. Pilot a community energy advice service. Increase funding to the Waiting List Initiative to clear the waiting list and backlog for the Assessment of Need process. Allocate sufficient funding to fully implement the National Therapy Service in mainstream education settings. "However, with these supports now withdrawn, low-income households are left exposed to high living costs and growing financial insecurity. "Poverty in a wealthy country like Ireland is a policy failure but our next Budget offers a vital opportunity to put financial certainty and dignity at the heart of Government decision-making. Advertisement 'Rising poverty and homelessness rates should not be happening in a wealthy country with a growing economy, Budget 2026 can and should make a difference to the people we support.' 3 Increasing child welfare and disability payments are among the calls made by the group Credit: Getty
Irish Times
17-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Minimum cost of living ‘up almost 20% since 2020'
A very basic cost of living has jumped by almost 20 per cent since 2020, with the spike leaving many struggling to make ends meet, according to research published on Tuesday morning. The annual Minimal Essential Standard of Living (MESL) study compiled by the Vincentian Research Centre at the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) measures what people need for a basic standard of living and highlights a 1.8 per cent jump in prices last year, with a climb of 18.8 per cent since 2020. It looked at the average weekly cost of goods and services such as food, clothes and energy for a socially acceptable minimum standard of living. [ Cost-of-living rise outstrips social welfare increases, report finds Opens in new window ] The report highlights how the weekly cost of a child over 12 is higher than any other age group at €158, with social welfare meeting just 64 per cent of that. The cost of the needs of a primary school-age child is €98, while the needs of a preschool-age child cost €72 per week. READ MORE The costs for infants are 15 per cent lower than an inflation-adjusted estimate, with prices falling as parents swapped higher-cost items such as nappies and infant formula with own-brand options Costs for a preschool-aged child are 31 per cent higher than estimates, as the higher cost of pain relief medication, cold treatments and clothes are among the factors driving costs up. Costs for primary schoolchildren were 2.1 per cent higher than estimates suggested, with increased allowances for activities, birthdays and Christmas forcing prices higher, while the school and book rental schemes significantly reduced potential education costs. For second-level age children, costs were put at 4.8 per cent higher than inflation-adjusted estimates, with social pressures facing teenagers as well as the need to replace children's clothing frequently, due to the rate at which they grow, highlighted by parents. [ The Irish Times view on tackling child poverty: if not now, when? Opens in new window ] Food costs decreased for this age group compared to last year, while the extension of the Free Schoolbooks Scheme to post-primary schools has contributed to a significant reduction in the 2025 education cost for a second-level child. The MESL needs for a one-parent household with a primary and second-level child cost €555 per week, and when dependent on social welfare supports, income only meets 82 per cent of this household's minimum needs. While employment generally improves household income, the adequacy of the National Minimum Wage continues to be a concern. 'The analysis demonstrates the crucial role of in-work supports, affordable childcare and affordable housing in enabling income adequacy for households in employment,' the report says. The cost of the minimum baskets for an urban single adult in minimum wage full-time employment has risen by 5.6 per cent due to higher rents and an increase in energy and food costs.
Irish Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Essential minimum living costs in Ireland increased by almost 20% since 2020
Essential minimum living costs have increased nationally by almost 20 per cent in the past five years, a new report has revealed. The Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) report was published on Tuesday by the Vincentian MESL Research Centre at the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP). It found that living costs in Ireland have increased by 1.8 per cent in the past year and 18.8 per cent since 2020. The report highlights that those on social welfare are not receiving enough to reach the minimum essential standard of living, which are services necessary to meet physical, psychological and social needs. And one-parent households are most at risk of financial inadequacy. As an example, the report noted that a one-parent household with a primary and second-level child only meets 82 per cent of the household's minimum needs when dependent on social welfare support. The cost of the needs of a child aged 12 and over remains the highest age group at €158 per week. Social welfare meets just 64 per cent of needs for this age group. The cost of the needs of a primary school age child is €98, while the needs of a preschool-age child costs €72 per week. Saint Vincent de Paul has also stressed that the national minimum wage - which is €13.50 an hour for workers over the age of 20 - "continues to be a concern". Since last year, the minimum outgoings for a single adult in minimum wage full-time employment has risen by 5.6 per cent. A worker in this scenario is making €131 less a week than they need to to meet minimum needs. The report has cited rising private rents in Dublin and an increase in home energy and food costs for this rise. In conclusion, the report highlighted that many household situations, particularly when reliant on social welfare, continue to be at risk of income inadequacy. It continued: "This is especially pronounced for single-adult households and families with older children. Although recent policy measures, such as the introduction of the New Baby Grant and the expansion of school meals and book schemes, have had a positive impact, they are not sufficient to close the gap for all household types."
RTÉ News
16-06-2025
- General
- RTÉ News
Minimum standard of living costs rise by almost 20% since 2020
Essential minimum living costs increased by 1.8% in the past year with a cumulative increase of 18.8% nationally since 2020. The figures are contained in the annual Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) report published by the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul. The research team found that households with older children (second-level age) were at a greater risk of deep income inadequacy when dependent on social welfare. The cost of children aged 12-years and over is the highest of any other age group according to research. At €158 per week in 2025, social welfare meets 64% of needs for this age-group. The cost of the needs of a primary school age child is €98, while the needs of a preschool-age child costs €72 per week. The report also found that the essential standard of living needs for a one parent household with a primary and second-level child cost €555 per week. When dependent on social welfare supports, income only met 82% of this household's minimum needs. The cost of a minimum basket of goods for an urban single adult in minimum wage full-time employment rose by 5.6% in 2025. The report said that while employment generally improves household income, the adequacy of the national minimum wage "continues to be a concern".
Time of India
16-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Tribute to fallen soldiers mark Assam Regiment's 84th Raising Day in Aizawl
1 2 3 4 Aizawl : Assam Regiment's 84th Raising Day was commemorated in Mizoram 's capital Aizawl with profound reverence, reflecting the pride and valour of the regiment's storied legacy as the celebration was graced by governor Gen VK Singh on Monday. Singh laid a wreath at the War Memorial, Treasury Square in Aizawl, offering a heartfelt tribute to the courageous soldiers of the Assam Regiment who made the ultimate sacrifice for the nation. Representatives from the Mizoram Ex-Services League (MESL), Assam Regiment and Assam Rifles also joined in this solemn gesture, laying wreaths to honour the fallen heroes whose bravery continues to inspire. Following the wreath laying ceremony, a warm tea gathering and interaction session were held at the Assam Rifles Ground, fostering camaraderie and reflection on the regiment's contributions. During the event, the governor extended heartfelt congratulations to the Assam Regiment, lauding their unwavering commitment and invaluable service to the nation. He urged the regiment to carry forward their legacy of dedication and courage, inspiring future generations to uphold the values of sacrifice and honour. Lt Col Clement Lalhmingthanga (Retd), MLA and president of MESL, expressed profound gratitude to the governor for his gracious participation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Novi ortopedski sandali za moške poletje 2025. Fiippy KUPITE ZDAJ Undo The event was enriched by the presence of distinguished guests, including Brigadier Pushpendar Sorayan, DIG, HQ 23 Sector Assam Rifles and Padma Shri awardee Hav Lalbiakthanga, president of the World War-II veterans' association. Members of MESL, Assam Regiment and Assam Rifles, united in a shared commitment to honour the regiment's history and its enduring role in safeguarding the nation.
