Budget 2027: Social welfare rates to rise by €10 a week as disability supports increase

The measures include increases to welfare rates, Fuel Allowance and Living Alone Allowance, alongside targeted child poverty supports

A €10 across-the-board increase in social welfare rates has been announced.

Social welfare changes, along with a new €500 Cost of Disability Payment, will mean that 180,000 people with disabilities will be €1,030 better off in 2027.

When combined with other increases, the changes will mean that 28,583 people who receive Disability Allowance, Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance and the Household Benefits Package will receive €17,416 in supports next year, an increase of €1,174.

A €10 across-the-board increase in social welfare rates has been announced, benefiting 1.6 million people receiving weekly State supports, including jobseekers, pensioners, carers and people receiving disability payments.

Fuel and other supports 

A €5 increase in the weekly Fuel Allowance has been confirmed, and pensioners living alone can now have an income of up to €641 a week and still benefit from the support. This is up from €534.

The €3 increase in the Living Alone Allowance has also been confirmed.

Targeted measures to help reduce child poverty include a €6 increase in the Child Support Payment for children under 12 and a €30 increase in the Working Family Payment income threshold.

The overall social protection allocation for next year stands at €30.9 billion, an increase of €2 billion.