Lone Parents to lose child payment on Community Employment from 20th February 2012

30 Jan 2012

Lone Parents to lose child payment on Community Employment from 20th February 2012

In Budget 2012, a number of changes were made to the One Parent Family Payment (OPFP).

One of the changes made is that increases for qualified children is no longer payable on the Community Employment (CE) scheme when a similar increase is being made on the One Parent Family Payment scheme.

In addition, the amount of earnings a person in receipt a One Parent Family Payment is allowed to have without affecting their OPFP payment has been reduced from €146.50 to €130 per week.

As a result of the Budget measure, the qualified child increase on the CE scheme will stop being paid from 20th February 2012. The new weekly rate of payment on Community Employment, for those in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment, will be €208 per week.

While the weekly rate of payment on Community Employment will be reduced, it is understood that the One Parent Family Payment will be recalculated, at the same time, to take account of the reduced assessable earnings from Community Employment and the revised One Parent Family Payment earnings disregard of €130 per week. The One-Parent Family Payment will increase to partially offset the reduction in the Community Employment payment but, on an overall basis, the combined income from Community Employment (CE) and the One Parent Family Payment (OFP) will be reduced.

Letters to this effect will be issued shortly from the Department of Social Protection.

Entitlement to Child Benefit (Childrens Allowance) will not be affected. If you are in receipt of a means tested Social Welfare payment in addition to your Community Employment payment, and your income has been reduced by the change to child dependent payment you may qualify to have your entitlement to Rent Supplement reviewed.

For more information contact the INOU on 01 - 856 0088 our use our Contact Us form.