They will all come into effect in the coming weeks
Christmas cash in a stock image(Image: the_burtons via Getty Images)
The Budget 2026, unveiled in October, laid out a host of measures set to roll out in the coming year by the government.
These encompass a range of social welfare hikes, expanded eligibility for certain benefits and raised weekly income thresholds for others.
Here’s the comprehensive rundown of changes slated to kick in from January:
- 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
- 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.
- Earlier this month, over a million social welfare beneficiaries were awarded a Christmas Bonus. This bonus is granted to those on long-term social welfare payments.
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You’re eligible for a Christmas Bonus if you’re receiving:
- Back to Education Allowance – people coming from jobseeker’s payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use your time on your jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify.
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance – people coming from jobseeker’s payments need to be getting the Allowance for at least 12 months (312 days), but you may be able to use time on jobseeker’s payment to help you qualify
- Back to Work Family Dividend
- Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds
- Beneficiary of Temporary Protection Weekly Payment
- Bereaved Partner’s Pension (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
- Blind Pension
- Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit (including half-rate Carer’s Allowance)
- Community Employment
- Deserted Wife’s Allowance and Deserted Wife’s Benefit
- Daily Expenses Allowance for 12 months or more
- Disability Allowance
- Disablement Benefit
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) and (Non-Contributory)
- Illness Benefit for 12 months or more
- Invalidity Pension
- Job Initiative Scheme
- Jobseeker’s Allowance for 12 months (312 days or more)
- Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
- Magdalene Commission Scheme
- Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Partial Capacity Benefit
- Rural Social Scheme
- State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 12 months (364 days or more)
- Tús
- Work Placement Experience Programme (if your primary payment is a qualifying social welfare payment)
- However, it’s worth noting that the Fuel Allowance doesn’t qualify for the Christmas Bonus.
Thousands are poised to receive a payment exceeding €460 to assist with home heating costs in the near future.
The Fuel Allowance is designed to offset the expense of keeping your home warm during the winter months. It’s awarded to just one individual per household.
Typically, the Fuel Allowance season kicks off in late September each year and wraps up in April, with payments made at a weekly rate of €33 for 28 weeks or as two lump sums currently totalling €924.
However, the weekly Fuel Allowance is set to increase by €5 to €38 per week, pushing the total sum over the €1,000 mark.
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