Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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116. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the threshold increase for the working family payment will come into effect. [59079/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 45,000 families with 99,000 children who are currently in receipt of WFP.

Budget 2023 included the provision of a once off €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all WFP recipients and this was paid on 17th November 2022.

An increase in the income thresholds for Working Family Payment was also announced in Budget 2023. The legislative basis for this measure is contained in the Social Welfare Bill 2022 which is currently before the Oireachtas.

This increase will take effect from 5th 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 up to €24 per week while also increasing the income qualification thresholds for claimants.

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

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.