Dublin: Pensioners, carers, disabled people and lone parents will all receive a €200 lump sum as part of a cost-of-living package unveiled on Tuesday.
Parents are set to receive a €100 child benefit lumpsum and the government has agreed to increase the back-to-school clothes & footwear allowance by €100 to protect the most vulnerable.
All these bonus payments are paid in the months of April and May.
Government leaders met late last night to agree the final details of the support.
It includes a significant overhaul of a scheme to help businesses with electricity and fuel bills. However, households will not receive another €200 energy rebate. Another energy credit is due in March.
Steps to be taken to declare cost of living include:
* 9% VAT rate on electricity and gas, €15 million per month until the end of October.
* €100 top up for each child in the Child Benefit Scheme.
* A €200 payment similar to the Christmas bonus for pensioners, disability allowance, carers and widows.
* Expansion of Hot School Meals Program in primary schools.
The total cost of social protection measures secured by Minister Heather Humphreys to help ease the pressure on families and households is more than €400 million.
It will also make changes to the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS).
It is understood that the total monthly amount a business can claim against electricity and fuel costs each month will increase from €10,000 to €15,000. The scheme, which was supposed to expire at the end of March, will be extended for another three months.
A plan will also be drawn up to support businesses that rely on oil tanks for heating.
A major concession for hoteliers, the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector will be maintained throughout the summer.
It has been agreed that the final extension will bring VAT back to 13.5% by the end of August.
Petrol and diesel prices to rise As a result, the 20c petrol price cut will now be reversed in three stages, with a 6c rise from early June, a 7c rise from early September and a final 8c on 31 October. As well as reduced 15c. Diesel will increase by 5c in June and 6c in September and October
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