Several core payments will be increased
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Following the release of Budget 2026 last month, social welfare recipients can expect several key changes and payment increases to core programmes in the new year. Most weekly social welfare payments will increase by €10, with proportional increases for dependents.
Several payments have also seen changes to their income and eligibility criteria, meaning that individuals and households who previously didn’t qualify for the payment may now be able to receive it. A majority of these changes will take effect in January, so households have approximately five weeks to prepare their documents for application.
Here’s everything you need to know about the social welfare payment increases and eligibility changes coming next year:
- 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.
Meanwhile, the Christmas Bonus will return next month, and 1.5 million long-term social welfare recipients will be paid again this year. It will be the usual rate of 100 per cent of the weekly payment. It is expected that this will be issued during the first week in December.
