Pension, jobseeker's, carer's and disability allowances to increase by €12 per week

THERE WILL BE a €12 increase to all weekly social welfare payments under Budget 2025.

This includes the jobseeker’s, disability, and carer’s allowances, as well as the State pension.

The pension rate will increase to €278 for those aged between 66 and 80, and €288 for those over 80.

Those who are in receipt of the pension or the Disability Allowance who are living alone will also receive a lump sum of €200.

A €400 “cost of living” lump sum payment is promised for recipients of Disability, Carer’s and Working Family payments, as well as Invalidity and Blind Pension recipients.*

In addition, this month long-term social welfare recipients will get double payment. There will be another double payment at Christmas. Nearly 1.4 million people will benefit from it.

The baseline Carer’s Allowance will rise from €248 to €260 per week, while the Carer’s Support Grant will rise from €1,850 to €2,000.

Carers will now qualify for the fuel allowance.

Furthermore, the threshold to receive the allowance will increase to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. This is a significant change from the existing €450 and €900 thresholds.

Those who care for a child with a severe disability will get a €20 increase in their allowance.

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Those in receipt of the Disability Allowance with no dependents will now get €244 per week.

Earlier this year, the government scrapped a plan to create a new three-tiered system for the allowance following backlash from activists.

The Green paper would have linked the level of payment to a determination on capacity to work and the nature of the disability.

There had been speculation around whether Jobseeker’s Allowance would be subject the increases expected in other payments.

Taoiseach Simon Harris appeared to hint that Fine Gael had gotten its way, after it clashed with its coalition colleagues who wanted to increase the dole.

He called it a “practical” matter rather than an “ideological debate”.

Parents

For parents, there will be a €15 increase to maternity, paternity and adoptive parents payments.

The weekly child benefit will increase by €4 for children under 12 years, and €8 for children over 12. 

Among the other once-off payments in the €2.2 billion cost of living package are a €420 payment to new parents and €400 for working families.

They will also receive a €100 lump sum for each child they already receive the standard benefit from. 

*This article was amended at 18.25 on 1 October to clarify which social welfare recipients will receive the €400 lump sum payment.

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