Social Welfare Bill 1997

Public bill · Government · Presented

Raises most social welfare payments, including pensions, unemployment and disability payments, child benefit, carer’s allowance and family income supplement, while increasing some earnings limits and adjusting contributions. It extends maternity and adoptive benefits to self-employed people, introduces sickness allowance, recognises widowers alongside widows for non-contributory pensions, and broadens access to some pensions and supports. It also changes how income and savings are assessed, eases some unemployment rules, strengthens recovery of wrongly claimed payments, and expands public access to social welfare information and advocacy.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Social Welfare Acts, section 4 of the National Social Service Board Act, 1984, section 7A of the Health Contributions Act, 1979, and section 18A of the Youth Employment Agency Act, 1981.

Last updated 20 November 2019