Several social welfare dates and modifications require attention over the forthcoming months.
These include a change to a usual payment date and the distribution of the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, while income thresholds for Carer’s Benefit will also change, reports The Mirror.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be distributed in July, offering a one-time means-tested payment to qualifying families towards the cost of school clothing and footwear.
Following amendments introduced in Budget 2026, eligible two and three-year-olds can qualify for the scheme for the first time this year, reports The Mirror.
The scheme provides €160 for eligible children aged two to 11 and €285 for children aged 12 and over in second-level education. Since June 2025, if you are receiving the Foster Care Allowance, you can apply for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for each foster child.
To qualify for the payment, you must satisfy the conditions of the scheme, reports The Mirror.
Applications are currently open and the bulk of payments will be issued in July, with numerous families automatically qualifying and not needing to apply.
Additionally in July, the income threshold for Carer’s Benefit will rise by €375 to €1,000 per week, reports The Mirror.
August will see social welfare recipients receive their payments early due to the bank holiday, as post offices and banks will all be closed.
Due to the August Bank Holiday on Monday 3 August, social welfare payments scheduled for that day will be issued on the previous Friday, reports The Mirror.
This will also have an impact on Child Benefit, which lands in accounts on the first Tuesday of every month, with the payment traditionally issued on the Friday or Saturday ahead of a Bank Holiday to avoid late payments.
The Fuel Allowance season typically begins in late September and concludes in April, spanning 28 weeks, and is valued at €38 weekly, with more than 470,000 households having received support through the programme during the previous season, reports The Mirror.
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