Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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612. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider reviewing the criteria for the working family payment to assess the impact of including carer’s allowance as reckonable income, and particularly in cases where one parent is engaged in seasonal employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8051/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Working Family Payment is a tax-free payment which provides an income top-up for employees, with children and with low earnings. It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families.

As at the end of January, there were some 47,000 households in receipt of the Working Family Payment, in respect of some 98,000 children.

To be eligible for the Working Family Payment the applicant must work a minimum of 38 hours a fortnight. It is important to note, to meet this requirement, hours worked can be combined for example those worked by the applicant and their spouse or partner.

The payment made is 60% of the difference between overall weekly household income and the relevant income threshold. The thresholds applied are based on the number of children in a household.

Resulting from a Budget 2025 measure, from January, a €60 per week increase was applied to income thresholds for all family sizes.

The Working Family Payment is an in-employment support, as such it is an income assessed scheme and is not subject to a means test.

All income from employment assessed is net of income tax, pay-related social insurance, the universal social charge and pension-related deductions. In general, income from social protection payments, including Carer’s Allowance, is included in the assessment. Certain sources of income are disregarded, these include Child Benefit, the Supplementary Welfare Allowance and certain payments made directly or indirectly by or on behalf of the Minister for Justice.

Once awarded, Working Family Payment is payable for 52 weeks, even where the person’s income changes as long as the recipient continues to satisfy the qualifying conditions. This provides a safeguard for people who experience seasonal fluctuations in their income.

There are no plans to change the income assessment applied.

Louis O'Hara (Galway East, Sinn Fein)
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613. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if Irish residents in receipt of a British pension are eligible for bonus payments issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8079/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Bonus payments, such as the Christmas bonus, can be paid by the Department of Social Protection.

For example, the Christmas bonus, announced as part of Budget 2025, provided a 100% increase in the weekly rate of payment for over 1.38 million eligible recipients, including pensioners.

The bonus is payable to long-term recipients of Social Protection schemes, including those in receipt of the State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory).

Any entitlements associated with foreign pension payments are a matter for those jurisdictions.

However, any recipient of a UK pension who believes that they may also have an entitlement to an Irish pension payment can contact the Department at 0818-200-400 or by post at :

Department of Social Protection,

College Road,

Sligo,

F91 T384.

Further information on State pension entitlements is also available at www.gov.ie/pensions.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.