Charity boss calls for more targeted cost-of-living supports

James Cox

The Government has been urged to be more targeted with upcoming cost-of-living supports.

Ministers will meet later this week as to decide what more can be done to ease the burden on households.

Another electricity credit, double payments for some welfare recipients, and extra child benefit payments are being considered.

CEO of Barnardos Suzanne Connolly said while that would be welcome, money might be better spent elsewhere.

Ms Connolly told Newstalk: "We think the universality of child benefit is a really good thing because of that.

"However, what we need to think about is that when we double universal payments or when we extend universal payments across the country... then you're reducing the income that's available to give to people who really need it and that's the key thing that the Government needs to think about."

The measures will have a “social welfare and pensions element”, according to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

“We haven’t decided on any of the details of it yet,” Mr Varadkar told RTÉ Radio on Sunday.

“I do believe we will need some additional targeted welfare measures.

“I believe that you need an element of both, universal measures to help everyone, but those who are suffering the most are those who need the most help.

“And one of the things we will make a judgment call on this week is some additional welfare payments. We haven’t decided the nature of those exactly – who will get them, who won’t, and how much.

“What I can say is that there will be a social welfare and pensions element to the cost-of-living package for the spring.

“And that’s because people on pensions and people who are receiving social welfare payments, they’re the ones who are really struggling the most with the high cost of living and we have to help them.”