Social welfare payment changes in this year’s Budget
16 October 2025
News
Want to know the changes to social welfare payments in Budget 2026? Here’s a summary of the changes:
- From January 2026, the maximum rate of most weekly social welfare payments will increase by €10. There will be proportional increases for an adult dependant and people on reduced rates of payment.
- The Child Support Payment weekly rate will increase by €8, from €50 to €58, for children under 12 and €16, from €62 to €78, for children aged 12 and over
- A Christmas Bonus of 100% will be paid in December 2025 if you are getting a qualifying social welfare payment.
- Working Family Payment income limits will increase by €60 a week for all family sizes (January 2026).
- Working Family Payment will become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance in March 2026. The payment will be backdated to January 2026 if you meet the qualifying conditions.
- Fuel Allowance will increase by €5 to €38 per week (January 2026).
- If you are moving from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension to take up work you will keep the Fuel Allowance for 5 years (September 2026).
- If you are getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension you will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend if you take up employment.
- The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be extended to include children aged 2 and 3 (if they meet the other eligibility criteria).
- The weekly Carer's Allowance income disregard will increase to €1,000 if you are single (from €625) and to €2,000 for a couple (from €1,250) (July 2026)
- The weekly income limit for Carer’s Benefit will increase by €375 to €1,000 (July 2026).
- Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase by €20, from €360 to €380 per month.
🔗 Find out more about Budget 2026.