Thousands of people are set to receive a financial boost from this week as changes announced in Budget 2026 come into force.
Social Protection Minister Dara Calleary confirmed today that social protection increases worth more than €1 billion will begin, reports The Mirror.
Weekly core social welfare payments, including jobseeker’s benefit and disability payments, will rise by €10 per week. More than 1.5 million people are expected to benefit, amounting to an extra €520 per year, while adult dependants and those on reduced rates will receive proportionate increases.
People in receipt of the Domiciliary Care Allowance will see their payment rise by €20 from today, increasing the monthly rate to €380, reports The Mirror.
The Child Support Payment will go up by €8 for children under 12, bringing it to €58, while payments for children over 12 will rise by €16 to a new rate of €78.
This represents the largest increase ever to the payment and will benefit more than 330,000 children, reports The Mirror.
Those eligible for the fuel allowance will receive an additional €5 per week, increasing the payment to €38. Minister Calleary said: “I have also introduced improvements to Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme, including broadening access, increasing the top-ups by €5 per week, and bringing in €1,000 in material grants for all Community Employment schemes.
“The measures I am announcing today are in addition to the €370 million in Christmas Bonus payments made in early December,” reports The Mirror.
More families will also become eligible for the Working Family Payment as income thresholds rise, with recipients seeing a €60 weekly increase from today, reports The Mirror.
The Working Family Payment will also become a qualifying payment for the Fuel Allowance from March 2026.
During the summer, the Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be expanded to include children aged two and three, reports The Mirror.
From July, the weekly income disregard for Carer’s Allowance will increase to €1,000 for a single person, up from €625, and to €2,000 for couples, up from €1,250. In the same month, the weekly income limit for Carer’s Benefit will rise by €375 to €1,000.
Speaking yesterday, Fine Gael Senator Noel O’Donovan said: “These measures represent a strong start to 2026. Families will see higher child payments, carers will benefit from increased supports, and those returning to work will be better assisted. These are practical improvements from Budget 2026 which will make a real difference in people’s lives. These changes will support families at every stage of life while also encouraging and rewarding those who take up work. As we enter 2026, these measures will provide reassurance and opportunity, ensuring the year ahead builds on a strong foundation of fairness and support,” reports The Mirror.
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