
Budget 2020 – Photograph Credit: Gareth Chaney/Collins
A Citizen’s Guide to Budget 2020
Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, presented his Budget to the Dáil on 8 October 2019.
Below is an overview of some of the main changes announced in the Budget. For further details on Budget 2020 click here .
Budget 2020 Overview
Social Welfare Payments
- Christmas bonus payment of 100% for all social welfare recipients in 2019
- Qualified Child Payment increased by a further €3 for over 12s and €2 for under 12s
- Fuel Allowance increased by €2 per week
- Living Alone Allowance increased by €5
- €15 increase for the One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker Transition income disregards
- €10 increase for the Working Family Payment income threshold
Tax Adjustments
- Earned Income Tax Credit for the self-employed increased by a further €150, making it €1,500 per year
- Increase of €100 to the Home Carer Tax Credit, making it €1,600 per year
Housing
- Extending Help to Buy to the end of 2021
- Living City initiative extended to end 2022
Brexit
- Deal or No Deal, €200 million will be available next year for staffing and infrastructure needs
- In the event of a No Deal, €650 million in contingency funding will be made available to support affected sectors. €220 million will be released immediately
Health
- Free GP care to under 8s
- Monthly threshold for the Drug Payment Scheme is being reduced by €10 and increasing medical card income thresholds by €50 for a single person or €150 for a couple over 70
- Phased provision of free dental care for children under 6
- 50c increase in excise on cigarettes
Climate Change
- Increase in carbon tax from €20 to €26 per tonne – auto fuels increase on Budget day, other fuels delayed until May 2020
- Diesel rebate scheme for hauliers
- 1% diesel surcharge replaced with Nitrogen oxide emissions-based charge
- Extension of BIK zero rate on electric vehicles and VRT reliefs for hybrids
- Equalising electricity tax rates for business and non-business
Minister’s Statement
For full details on the changes announced in Budget 2020, see the Minister’s statement.
Part of
Policy
For further information on Budget 2020 and previous Budgets visit http://budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2020/2020.aspx.