INOU - Latest News - Full Text

Latest Update: One Parent Family Payment - Changes announced

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:45:00 GMT

Latest Update: One Parent Family Payment - Changes announced

The Department of Social Protection plan to send out around 91,000 letters to customers in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment (OFP) to tell them about changes to their payments which were announced in Budget 2012. These letters will explain the changes announced and what this means for their payment.

If you are in reciept of the One Parent Family Payment, and unless your circumstances have changed in relation to your entitlement/claim for the One Parent Family Payment, you do not need to do anything. If your circumstances have changed you should contact the Social Welfare Local Office dealing with your payment or the One-Parent Family Payment section in Sligo, if your payment is dealt with there. The telephone number for their Sligo office is 1890 500 000 and telephone service is provided from 9am to 6pm.

The Department of Social Protection will also be writing to all OPFP recipients in the near future, asking them to complete a questionnaire. If you receive one of these questionnaires, you should complete it and send it back to the Department. Your payment will then be reviewed and the Department of Social Protection (DSP) will notify you of the outcome of the review.

If the review results in your payment being reduced incorrectly and you are unhappy with the decision, contact the INOU For more information contact the INOU on 01 - 856 0088 or use our Contact Us form.

What changes affecting OFP were announced in the Budget?

Income from employment

The amount of earnings you are allowed to have without affecting your payment has been reduced from €146.50 to €130.00 per week from 1 January, 2012. Further reductions will be introduced and announced over the next four years.

Income as a home help
From 1 January, 2012, income over €130 per week from employment as a home help funded by the HSE will be assessed in the means test for the One-Parent Family Payment.

Transitional Payment
From 5 January 2012, the temporary payment of half-rate One-Parent Family Payment where the recipient's earnings exceed €425 per week will no longer be available. NB: If you are already in receipt of a half-rate payment, your payment will not be affected.

Community Employment schemes (CE)
New participants on Community Employment Schemes from 16 January 2012 will not be able to claim a social welfare payment at the same time. The additional €20 per week that is paid to all Community Employment participants will continue to be paid.

Fuel Allowance
The Fuel Allowance season is reduced by 6 weeks from 32 weeks to 26 weeks for all recipients. This means that the current season will end on Friday 6th April 2012 and the fuel season for 2012/2013 will commence on Monday, 8th October 2012.

Concurrent payments on social welfare schemes
From February, if your circumstances change and you become eligible for Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness Benefit or Incapacity Supplement, you can only receive the equivalent rate of one social welfare payment. You will not be able to get One-Parent Family Payment and a half-rate payment from the other scheme. However, the concurrent payment of One-Parent Family Payment with Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit, Health & Safety Benefit and Carers Allowance continues.

Changes to age limit of the youngest child on an OFP claim
The age limit of the youngest child for One-Parent Family Payment entitlement purposes is gradually being reduced to seven years of age.
The reduction in the age limit is being applied to new and existing customers on a phased basis and will not affect existing customers until 2013.
These new arrangements will apply as follows depending on whether your claim was made:

Prior to 27 April 2011;
Between 27 April 2011 and April 2012; or
After April 2012.

The table below sets out the details. Payment of the One-Parent Family Payment will stop if the youngest child on your claim reaches the age specified in the year shown in the table below.

	2012	2013	2014	2015
	Payment continues up to age
If your claim commenced before 27 April 2011	18	17	16	7
If your claim commenced between 27 April, 2011 and April 2012	14	12	10	7
If your claim starts after April 2012	12	10	7

If you have an entitlement to One-Parent Family Payment based on the age of the youngest child in your family, payment of an Increase for a Qualified Child will continue for the older children in the family until they reach 18 or 22 years if they are in full-time education.

Extension of youngest child age in certain circumstances
Special provisions have been put in place for customers who are in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA). In these cases, One-Parent Family Payment will remain in payment until the youngest child reaches 16 years.

Procedure for claiming further benefits when One-Parent Family Payment ceases
When your One-Parent Family Payment stops, if you are still in need of income support, you may be eligible for another social welfare payment, such as a Jobseeker's payment or, if you are in employment, Family Income Supplement may be payable. Please contact your local social welfare office at that time.

Application of child age provisions to former customers who reapply for One-Parent Family Payment
As an existing customer, if you stop claiming OFP before January 2015:
- To participate in the Back to Education Scheme; Or
- Because your earnings exceed the qualifying earnings limit for the scheme,
You can reapply for One-Parent Family Payment based on the youngest child condition specified above.

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

Fall in Live Register but long-term unemployment continues to rise

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:31:00 GMT

The Central Statistics Office released the Live Register figures for January 2012 on February 1st. On a seasonally adjusted basis there was a decrease of 3,200 on the Live Register in January. The seasonally adjusted LR now stands at 439,600, giving a standardised unemployment rate for January of 14.2%.
"What is not clear from today's figures is the precise reason for the fall in the Register. If the fall is as a result of people taking up work then this would be a very positive development. However, its more likely that the figures are now beginning to reflect the reality that very significant numbers of people have given up hope of finding a job in Ireland and have decided to emigrate", noted John Stewart, INOU Co-ordinator.
Of particular concern is the number of people who have been on the Live Register for more than a year. This figure now stands at almost 184,000 people. Research has shown that the longer someone is unemployed the harder it is for them to get back to work.
"Given the on-going unemployment crisis it's absolutely vital that state supports and services for unemployed people are properly resourced and developed. The proposed new Pathways to Work Initiative must ensure that unemployed people are supported and given a genuine pathway back to work" John concluded.

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

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:01:00 GMT

As of the 20th February 2012 persons who are in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment (OPFP) will no longer qualify to receive an additional payment for qualified children while participating on a Community Employment (CE) scheme . The new weekly rate of payment on Community Employment, for those in receipt of the One Parent Family Payment, will be €208 per week. One Parent Families will continue to receive payment for qualified children on their One Parent Family Payment.

For more information and details click on this link - http://bit.ly/As198U

Latest Jobs News: Subway to open 600 new stores in Ireland and the UK

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:05:00 GMT

Latest Jobs News: Subway to open 600 new stores in Ireland and the UK over the next 3 years

New WorkPlace Relations Service to deal with Employment Rights

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:52:00 GMT

The new WorkPlace Relations Service provides information on employment rights and employers obligations under employment, equality, equal status and industrial relations legislation and sets out the resolution and redress options available where disputes or potential contraventions arise.

Latest Jobs News - Dublin: 75 jobs to be created in two companies

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:00:00 GMT

75 jobs to be created in two companies

Latest Jobs News Waterford: 220 new jobs by the autumn

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:15:00 GMT

Call centre to create 220 jobs to be created

Community Employment - Two important changes happening.

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:26:00 GMT

From the 16th January 2012 two important changes to Community Employment will come into force:

Any person starting a Community Employment (CE) Scheme on or after 16th January 2012 will not be able to claim any other Social Welfare payment in addition to their Community Employment payment. In the past, persons in receipt of certain Social Welfare payments could keep their existing payment and receive a Community Employment payment - this will no longer be the case.
Any person currently on a Community Emloyment scheme and also in receipt of either a One-Parent Family Payment or Deserted Wife's Allowance or Benefit or a widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension, will no longer recieve a child dependent payment on both their Community Employment payment and other Social Welfare payment (as previously listed). If you participate in a Community Employment scheme you will only get the Child Dependent payment on your Community Employment (CE) payment, not on your other Social Welfare payment.

Your 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 Social Welfare payment increased and/or a review of your entitlement to Rent Supplement.

For more information, and to determine if this will affect you, contact the INOU on 01 - 856 0088 our use our Contact Us form.

Changes to Rent Supplement Levels 2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:22:00 GMT

New Rent Supplement Levels have been announced by the Department of Social Protection for private rented accomodation - see - http://bit.ly/zS5ThX. The new levels will apply to all new applicants after the 1st January 2012 and will apply to existing claimants when their claims are reviewed or if they move to new accomodation.

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

Latest Jobs News:120 jobs to be created in 3 different companies

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:09:00 GMT

To view this news article visit: 120 jobs to be created

Latest Jobs News Dublin: Workday to create 100 new jobs

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:00:00 GMT

To view this news article visit: Workday to create 100 new jobs

Long-term unemployment up 16.4%

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:27:00 GMT

The Central Statistics Office released the Live Register figures for December 2011 today. The seasonally adjusted LR now stands at 443,200 a marginal decrease on the same month last year. However, it should be noted the register has moved up and down over the past year which saw its lowest point in February (441,400) and its highest in August (448,600). The Standardised Unemployment Rate for 2011 was 14.2%, an increase of .5% over 2010.
Of particular concern is the number of people who have been on the Live Register for more than a year: that figure saw an increase of 16.4% in 2011 to 180,798 people. Research has shown that the longer someone is unemployed the harder it is for them to get back to work. It is absolutely critical that the Government strives to give unemployed people real hope of securing paid employment. However, the stark reality is that Ireland will not see neither significant nor sufficient growth in employment for the foreseeable future.
Bigger and bolder measures are required and as a part of this it is essential that the social welfare system becomes more flexible and facilitates unemployed people to take up part-time and piece-meal work. As such work is unpredictable it is vital that the transition between welfare and work is as seamless as possible. "This in turn would facilitate unemployed people to develop and maintain their links with the labour market and get back to work quicker," noted the INOU spokesperson.

Long-term Unemployment Rate now 8.4%

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:16:00 GMT

Today the Quarterly National Household Survey for Quarter 3 2011 was released by the Central Statistics Office: this period covers the months July to September. What is particularly striking about these figures is the 26% increase in the numbers of people who are long-term unemployed bringing that figure up to 177,200 people or 56.3% of those who are unemployed. The long-term unemployment rate is now 8.4%. Since the same quarter in 2008 unemployment has increased by 97% while long-term unemployment has increased by a staggering 365%.
In Budget 2012 the Government repeatedly highlighted that the creation of jobs was central to the budgetary measures introduced. The INOU is not convinced that the measures announced last week will have the necessary positive impact on job creation that is so urgently required to get unemployed people back to work and to create real job opportunities for young people leaving school and college.
"Given the unemployment crisis facing this country it is beyond belief that no large scale measures have been introduced to create jobs and give meaningful opportunities to unemployed people," said John Stewart, INOU Co-ordinator.
Another significant and unwelcome development in this quarterly report is that for the first time female unemployment went over 100,000 to 108,600. In many respects this is not surprising as the two sectors that accounted for 45% of the drop in employment are predominantly female: education and accommodation and food service activities. The proposed cuts to public sector employment and the on-going contraction in domestic demand will exacerbate this development.

INOU NEC Press Statement

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:08:00 GMT

At today's meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the INOU members raised serious concerns about aspects of Budget 2012 and the negative impact these will have on unemployed people. In particular the Executive is concerned about the negative impact on community organisations providing vital services and job opportunities to unemployed people, lone parents and disabled people of the €1,000 cut to the Community Employment Training and Materials Grant.
The NEC is critical of the change proposed to part-time payments to Job Seekers, whereby payment entitlement will be based on a 5 day rather than a 6 day week. The INOU has called repeatedly for the introduction of a more work friendly and flexible social welfare system that would allow people to take up part-time and piecemeal work. "This change will have the opposite effect as it make it harder for many unemployed people to take up part-time employment," said Ann Fergus, INOU Chairperson.
Though acknowledging that the Government did not cut the basic social welfare rate, the NEC is fully aware from local feedback of the cumulative and negative impact on many unemployed people's income of this Budget. For example, an unemployed person who was in receipt of the Smokeless Fuel Allowance will see their income drop by €245. An unemployed person in receipt of Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement will see their cost of living increase by €312. At the same time the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowances has been cut by 18% for post-primary school children and 25% for primary school children.
The NEC was also struck by the lack of any coherent vision on job creation. "Many of the measures announced by Minister Michael Noonan on Tuesday may support economic activity," said Ann, "But there is no guarantee that this will translate into jobs and certainly not on a scale Ireland urgently needs if we are to give unemployed people real hope."

INOU response to first phase of the Budget

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:46:00 GMT

The INOU welcomes the decision to maintain the basic rate of social welfare payments announced in today's budget speech from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The maintenance of the basic rate was a key INOU priority for the budget.
We also welcome an announcement of funding for the Labour Market Activation fund and we look forward to hearing the details of the Pathway to Work policy. However, the INOU is concerned that the scale of the Government's response today falls well short of what is required. The Government have missed an opportunity to invest in unemployed people's future.
The INOU is concerned that the announcement in relation to part-time payments to Job Seekers, whereby payment entitlement will be based on a 5 day rather than a 6 day week, will act as a disincentive for many unemployed people to take up part-time employment. This decision will not facilitate unemployed people in moving from welfare to work said John Stewart, INOU Co-ordinator.
The INOU is also concerned that, the increased €6 per week contribution for people in receipt of Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement; the 6 week reduction in the number of weeks that the Fuel Allowance is paid, the reduction of €200 in the grant for people on the Back to Education Allowance and the reductions in Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowances, will all make it more difficult for many people.
The INOU is also worried about the impact the reduction in the Community Employment materials and training grant will have on Community Organisations delivering this Scheme.