Social welfare rates announced in Budget 2026
This page lists the social welfare rate increases announced in Budget 2026 on 7 October 2025.
You can get more information about the Budget in:
- Our Budget 2026 main page
- The Budget 2026 hub on Gov.ie
Pensions
|
State Pension (Contributory) |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate - under age 80 |
289.30 |
299.30 |
|
Personal rate - aged 80 and over |
299.30 |
309.30 |
|
Increase for Qualified Adult - under 66 |
192.70 |
199.40 |
|
Increase for Qualified Adult - 66 and over |
259.40 |
268.40 |
|
State Pension (Non-Contributory) |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Aged 66 and under 80 |
278.00 |
288.00 |
|
Age 80 and over |
288.00 |
298.00 |
|
Increase for Qualified Adult - under 66 |
183.60 |
190.20 |
|
Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Under age 66 |
249.50 | 259.50 |
|
Aged 66 or under 80 |
289.30 | 299.30 |
|
Aged 80 and over |
299.30 | 309.30 |
|
Bereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
Working age payments
|
Jobseeker's Benefit |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Jobseeker's Allowance |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Aged 25 and over |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Under 25 |
153.70 | 163.70 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult (25 and over) |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult (under 25) |
153.70 | 163.70 |
|
One-Parent Family Payment |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Payment |
Weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Maternity Benefit |
289.00 |
299.00 |
|
Adoptive Benefit |
289.00 |
299.00 |
|
Paternity Benefit |
289.00 |
299.00 |
|
Parent’s Benefit |
289.00 |
299.00 |
|
Health and Safety Benefit |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 |
254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 |
168.60 |
|
Farm Assist |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Under age 66 |
249.50 | 259.50 |
|
Aged 66 and under 80 |
289.30 | 299.30 |
|
Aged 80 and over |
299.30 | 309.30 |
|
Deserted Wife's Allowance |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Aged 25 and over |
242.00 | 252.00 |
|
Under 25 living independently with State support |
242.00 | 252.00 |
|
Under 25 not living independently |
153.70 | 163.70 |
Disability and illness
|
Illness Benefit |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
249.50 | 259.50 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
178.30 | 185.40 |
|
Disability Allowance |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Blind Pension |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
244.00 | 254.00 |
|
Increase for a Qualified Adult |
162.00 | 168.60 |
|
Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Injury Benefit |
244.00 |
254.00 |
|
Disablement Benefit |
275.00 |
285.00 |
|
Death Benefit Scheme |
|
|
|
Bereaved partner (under 66) |
274.50 | 284.50 |
|
Bereaved partner (over 66 and under 80) |
293.70 | 303.70 |
|
Bereaved partner (over 80) |
303.70 | 313.70 |
Carers
|
Carer's Benefit |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Personal rate |
261.00 | 271.00 |
|
Carer's Allowance |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Under 66 |
260.00 | 270.00 |
|
Aged 66 and over |
298.00 | 308.00 |
|
Other payments for carers |
Payment, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Domiciliary Care Allowance (paid monthly) |
360.00 per month | 380.00 per month |
|
Carer’s Support Grant (paid once a year) |
2,000.00 per year |
2,000.00 per year |
Children and families
|
Guardian’s payment |
Maximum weekly rate, € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Contributory) |
227.00 |
237.00 |
|
Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) |
227.00 |
237.00 |
|
Child Support Payment (previously called Increase for a Qualified Child) |
||
|
Age of child |
2025 weekly rate |
2026 weekly rate |
|
Under 12 |
€50 (full rate) €25 (half rate) |
€58 (full rate) €29 (half rate) |
|
Age 12 and over |
€62 (full rate) €31 (half rate) |
€78 (full rate) €39 (half rate) |
|
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Each qualified child aged 4 to 11 |
€160.00 per year | €160.00 per year |
|
Each qualified child aged 12 and over |
€285.00 per year | €285.00 per year |
|
Child Benefit |
||
|
Year |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Monthly rate |
€140.00 per child | €140.00 per child |
|
Twins: Child Benefit is paid at one and half times the normal monthly rate for each child. All other multiple births: Child Benefit is paid at double the normal monthly rate for each child.
|
||
|
Working Family Payment income limits |
||
|
Family size |
2025 income limit, € |
2026 income limit, € |
|
1 child |
705.00 | 765.55 |
|
2 children |
806.00 | 866.00 |
|
3 children |
907.00 | 967.00 |
|
4 children |
998.00 | 1,058.00 |
|
5 children |
1,124.00 | 1,184.00 |
|
6 children |
1,240.00 | 1,300.00 |
|
7 children |
1,376.00 | 1,436.00 |
|
8 children or more |
1,472.00 | 1,532.00 |
Other payments
|
Type of payment |
Maximum weekly rate € |
|
|
|
2025 |
2026 |
|
Fuel Allowance |
33.00 |
38.00 |
|
Living Alone Increase |
22.00 | 22.00 |
|
Island Increase (specified offshore islands) |
20.00 | 20.00 |
|
Bereaved Partner Grant (once-off payment) |
8,000.00 | 8,000.00 |