WELFARE ALLOWANCES PAID to thousands of Ukrainian refugees living in State-provided accommodation will be cut from September.

In January, the Government agreed to cut social welfare payments for newly arrived Ukrainian refugees staying in State-provided accommodation to €38.80 per week and to offer accommodation for a maximum of 90 days.

Previous to this, Ukrainian refugees received the current jobseekers’ rate of €232 per week – if staying in accommodation centres – and unlimited time in State accommodation.

This move came into force on 14 March and only impacted Ukrainian refugees who arrived after this date.

However, in May of this year the Government agreed to implement these changes to Ukrainian refugees who arrived in Ireland between 2022 and 14 March, 2024.

Taoiseach Simon Harris said this would allow for “consistency of approach” to payments.

Speaking in May, Harris said: “It shouldn’t be whether you came one month (ago) or not that you get a different level of support.”

Then Finance Minister Michael McGrath said at the time that 27,000 people could stand to be impacted by the move and a Government spokesperson said that it was about gaining “balance” and “equity” in the level of payments.

A shared memo was brought to Cabinet today by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys and Minister for Integration Roderic O’Gorman on the measures agreed to by Government in May on implimenting the same welfare payments for all Ukrainian refugees.

It’s planned for the move to come into place on 12 September.

A Government source said the measure is being brought in to “provide for equivalence” between those living in State-provided accommodation before and after 14 March.

Communications will be issued in August to those affected by the changes.