The following is an outline of the changes as announced in Budget 2020.
The changes will have an impact on individuals and families and I am very conscious of this so if you have any queries or concerns regarding these changes please feel free to contact me.
• 100% Christmas bonus to all social welfare recipients in 2019.
• €5 increase in the Living Alone Allowance
• €15 for the One Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker Transition
• Increase in the Qualified Child Payment by a further €3 for over 12s and €2 for under 12s.
• Increase in excise duty on a pack of 20 cigarettes by 50 cents, with a pro-rata increase on other tobacco products.
• €2 increase in the Fuel Allowance
• Jobseekers under 25 can receive full rate of Jobseekers Allowance
Health
• Reduction in prescription charges for all persons by 50 cent.
• Drug Payment Scheme is being reduced by €10 per month to €114.
• Medical card income thresholds for over 70’s increased by €50 to €550 for a single person with a €150 for a couple bring it to €1,050.
• Expansion of free GP care to children under 8 and free dental care for children under 6.
• Recruitment of up to 1,000 therapists, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
HOME CARE HOURS
Fianna Fáil fought to ensure that there are further supports for older people to be cared for in their own homes instead of hospital or residential care, 1 million additional home care hours will be provided in 2020.
FRONTLINE GARDAÍ
Thanks to our negotiations 700 new Garda recruits will be delivered. Additionally, extra civilian staff will allow more trained Gardaí to return to frontline policing.
TAX
Home Carer
An increase in the Home Carer Tax Credit from €1,500 to €1,600
Self-employed
An increase in the Earned Income Credit from €1,350 to €1,500
USC
1 year extension of reduced rate of USC for medical card holders to end of December 2020
Capital Acquisitions Tax
Increase in the lifetime Group A tax free threshold which broadly applies to transfers between parents and their children from €320,000 to €335,000.
Stamp duty
Stamp duty applicable to non-residential property to be raised by 1½ per cent with effect immediately
CARBON TAX
€6 increase a tonne this year resulting in an immediate increase that will apply to auto fuels with its application to other fuels being delayed until May 2020, after the winter heating season.
Replacing the 1 per cent diesel surcharge introduced last year with a nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions based charge. This surcharge will apply to all passenger cars registering for the first time in the State from 1 January 2020. The charge will apply on a euro (€) per milligram/kilometre basis, with the rate increasing in line with the level of nitrogen oxide emitted.
Introduce an environmental rationale for Benefit In Kind for commercial vehicles from 2023;
• Extend the Benefit In Kind zero rate on electric vehicles to 2022
• Extend VRT reliefs for conventional and plug in hybrids to 2020, subject to CO2 thresholds
• Reduce qualifying CO2 thresholds for reliefs in respect of Capital Allowances and VAT reclaim on commercial vehicles
• Provide additional relief through the Diesel Rebate Scheme to hauliers to compensate that sector for the increased cost of fuel.
Equalisation of electricity tax rates for business and non-business.
CLIMATE CHALLENGE - TRANSPORT
€3 million for electric vehicle infrastructure allowing for:
• Doubling the number of Local Authority on street charge points that will be installed in 2020
• Support a new scheme to install communal charging points at apartment blocks
• Facilitate the roll-out of fast charging points to taxi ranks at transport hubs around the country.
€8 million will be allocated to the Department of Communications, Climate Action & Environment to maintain grants for individuals purchasing electric cars.
Farm Restructuring Relief
Extending the farm restructuring relief, introduced in Budget 2013, to the end of 2022 with no change to the conditions of the relief.
HOUSING
Homelessness
Allocation of a further €20 million for homeless services bringing total funding to €166 million in 2020. This will support people in emergency accommodation and increase preventative measures, long-term support and day services.
SOCIAL HOUSING
€1.1 billion to support the delivery of over 11,000 new social homes in 2020. A further 12,000 units will be delivered in 2021. An additional €80 million for the Housing Assistance Payment scheme next year. This funding will support the existing tenancies availing of the payment, as well as an additional 15,750 new tenancies in 2020.
HOME TO BUY SCHEME
Extension of the Home to Buy Scheme in its current form for a further period of two years to the end of 2021.
Affordability
Additional €17.5 million is being provided to the Land Development Agency and €186 million is being allocated for the Serviced Site Fund and Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund in 2020.
RENTAL
€2 million in additional funding to the Residential Tenancies Board to support their increased powers to investigate and sanction non compliance with Rent Pressure Zone measures.
Education
Hiring of over 150 new mainstream teaching posts in schools and investment of €1.9 billion in special education. This will provide over 400 additional teaching posts to support those with special educational needs and for the hiring of over 1,000 additional Special Needs
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