Charity calls for targeted measures to help financially insecure families with soaring cost of living

St Vincent de Paul national president Rose McGowan said the latest figures on poverty, which show around 45,000 more children are now living in consistent poverty in Ireland, demonstrate the clear need for action.

Irish families have been left exposed to growing financial insecurity linked to the spiralling cost of living, and targeted measures must support them in this autumn’s budget, a leading charity has said.

In its pre-budget submission, the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) said with one-off-measures for all households now a thing of the past, it was vital to get the approach right to help families who need it most, as it expects to receive 250,000 calls for help this year.

“Poverty in a wealthy country like Ireland is a policy failure, but our next budget offers a vital opportunity to put financial certainty and dignity at the heart of Government decision-making,” SVP's head of social policy Louise Bayliss said.

Rising poverty and homelessness rates should not be happening in a wealthy country with a growing economy.

The charity said the core adult social protection rate must be increased by €16 a week, while increases should also be made to the Living Alone Allowance and the introduction of a weekly cost of disability payment to cover the additional costs facing people with a disability.

Child income supports should also be increased, according to SVP, as current rates fall “significantly short of what is needed". 

Other measures it called for included the benchmarking of third-level student grants with the cost of living, increasing the fuel allowance by €9.50 a week, and the piloting of a community energy advice service.

The charity’s national president Rose McGowan said the latest figures on poverty, which show around 45,000 more children are now living in consistent poverty in Ireland, demonstrate the clear need for action.

“These are not abstract statistics — they represent children growing up in cold bedrooms, going to school hungry, and missing out on the social and educational experiences that are fundamental to a healthy childhood,” she said.

“We know from our experience on the frontline that the right policy choices do make a difference — we saw it with the introduction of free schoolbooks and hot school meals. Budget 2026 must continue that momentum.”