Dr. Claire Keane:

What we found is that, since 2020, all the changes that happened, including all the temporary measures like energy credits, the extra welfare payments, etc., have pretty much kept pace with inflation. The temporary measures are doing a lot there. It means that the permanent social welfare system has fallen behind. Wages are growing in the economy but the welfare rates are not growing by the same amount. What it means, in effect, is that when the temporary measures get discontinued, there will be a shock to people who are welfare-dependent because their welfare rates have not been keeping pace with wage growth over time. Does that make sense?