MY BUDGET/Community Worker: Ms Jan Browne, from Blanchardstown, Dublin, has been a widow for 19 months, and has four children, none of whom depend financially on her. She has received a contributory widow's pension of €130.30 per week since the death of her husband.
She has just started a community employment scheme, as part of which she will undergo back-to-work training for the next two years. She has received an additional €149.40 under the scheme.
Following yesterday's Budget, Ms Browne will be paid just over €20 extra between her two allowances. "It wasn't an awful lot, just a gesture really," she said.
"We may have gotten a small rise, but you have to factor in that the price of everything goes up all around you; the extra bit on money won't be long about going. When you look at the widow's pension, it increases by an awful lot as you get older. Once you hit 80 you do very well. I can't understand why they would have a sliding scale on something like that, I can't figure it out."
Ms Browne is a social drinker and was pleased there was no increase in the price of alcohol. She was also disappointed that the price of a TV licence was not reduce below €150.
