Consider the basic increases of between €6 and €11 that the Department of Social and Family Affairs is proposing and which were provided for in the Bill in December and in this Bill. When this basic increase is compared to the hyper inflation experienced in the marketplace, people are going to lose out. There have been increases of up to 10% in ESB charges. On 1 April, gas charges are set to increase by 9.5 to 10%. The increase of the lower VAT rate will impose additional burdens. All these, coupled with increases in motor taxation, television licence fees, council rents and the wide range of increases in the price of commodities will see the benefits provided by the Bill reduced in net terms.