The festive season has brought a lot of changes to the social welfare schedule
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Social welfare recipients have been warned that certain payments will be issued early this year due to schedule adjustments to accommodate New Year’s Day. Welfare payments are often moved around during the festive season due to post offices and banks shutting down for the holidays.
So far, payments that were due to be issued on December 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 were instead issued during the week beginning December 15. Due to the closure of banks and post offices on New Year’s Day, payments due on January 1 will be made on December 31 instead. Meanwhile, several social welfare changes are scheduled to take effect in 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.
Fuel Allowance will increase by €5 to €38 per week from January. If you are getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, you will be eligible for Back to Work Family Dividend if you take up employment.
Domiciliary Care Allowance will increase by €20, from €360 to €380 per month. In March 2026, the Working Family Payment will become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. The payment will be backdated to January 2026 if you meet the qualifying conditions.