Budget 2025 was announced back in October, and a number of measures have come into effect since.
These include cost of living bonus, an electricity credit and more. However a major change that will come into effect from the 1st of January is an increase to core weekly social welfare rates.
However, five major groups will not see any increase in their rates of payment. There will be no change to the Back To School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, Child Benefit, Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Increase or Island Increase.
The maximum weekly rate of Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit, Paternity Benefit and Parent’s Benefit will increase by €15. The Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) will be renamed the Child Support Payment. The weekly rate will increase by €4 from €46 to €50, for children under 12 years of age. It will increase by €8 from €54 to €62 for children aged 12 years and over.
All other weekly social welfare payments will increase by €12 with proportional increases for qualified adults and people on reduced rates of payment. The list of social welfare payments that will be increased are:
State Pension (Contributory)
State Pension (Non-Contributory)
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
Jobseeker's Benefit
Jobseeker's Allowance
One-parent Family Payment
Health and Safety Benefit
Farm Assist
Deserted Wife's Benefit
Deserted Wife's Allowance
Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Illness Benefit
Invalidity Pension
Disability Allowance
Blind Pension
Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme
Carer's Benefit
Carer's Allowance
Guardian’s payment
Child Support Payment
As well as weekly increases for social welfare payments, there will also be a monthly increase of €20 to the Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the annual Carer's Support Grant will rise by €150. The Working Family Payment income limits will increase by €60 a week for all family sizes, while next July the Carer's Allowance income disregard will increase to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. Carer’s Allowance will also become a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.
These changes are set to kick in from the 1st of January 2025, as announced by the government in October as part of the 2025 Budget.
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