Social Protection | Number of applicants in receipt of working family payment

To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants throughout the country currently in receipt of working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children which supports people in low paid employment. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take up employment.

It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families. There are approximately 47,000 families with 103,000 children who are currently in receipt of WFP.

An increase in the income thresholds applicable to WFP customers has taken effect from 5^th January 2023 and will see the income limit for all family sizes increase by €40. This will see an increase in payment across all awarded claims of €24 per week while also increasing the income qualification thresholds for claimants.

The easiest and fastest ways for customers to make an application for Working Family Payment is online via mywelfare.ie .

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.