New figures show that an increasing number of people in Clare are availing of a support for low income families.
Despite the improving economy, more people than before are availing of the Family Income Supplement:
Family Income Supplement is a weekly tax-free payment available to people who are in employment, and have children.
Soon to be re-named as the Working Family payment, it gives extra financial support to people on low pay.
While Clare’s live register figures show fewer people here are out of work, there are anecdotal suggestions that the quality of work on offer to many is poor, in terms of pay and conditions, and these figures appear to back that up as a growing number of people on low pay are availing of the payment.
In 2009, it was made available to 670 people but by last year that number had nearly doubled to over 1,300.
It’s also set to increase even further this year, as the total receiving FIS has reached 1,261 in the first ten months of this year.
The trend in Clare is in line with other counties, according to figures released to the Dáil by Social Protection Minister, Regina Doherty.
