Thousands to lose €1,300 social welfare monthly payment unless government extends it

Thousands of people could see their €1,300 a month social welfare payment end unless the government announces an extension.

The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) was first introduced in 2022 and has remained in place for three years.

However, unless the government agrees to extend the timeframe for the payment, the monthly scheme will end within a few months.

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The BIA pilot scheme's main objective was to tackle financial instability for those working in the arts sector and to support arts and creative professions by paying artists and creative arts workers.

The pilot scheme's deadline for applications was on May 12, 2022 and 2,000 eligible artists and creative arts workers were selected at random and invited to participate in the pilot scheme.

Of the artists and creative arts workers selected approximately 707 visual artists, 584 musicians, 204 artists working in film, 184 writers, 173 actors and artists working in theatre, 32 dancers and choreographers, 13 circus artists and 10 architects were deemed eligible for the scheme.

Since 2022, the pilot has now run over three years, from 2022 to 2025 and is due to end in around five months.

The BIA grant is worth €325 a week but participants receive their payments on a monthly basis.

As it stands. the current Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O'Donovan, has not confirmed whether there are any plans to extend the scheme.