Budget 2027 boosts support for families and carers
Minister Dara Calleary TD unveiled a €1.15 billion Social Protection package to tackle poverty and disability costs. Key measures include a €500 lump sum for disabled people and a €10 weekly rise in core welfare rates from January 2027.
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⏱️ 2 min read
Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary TD, today unveiled a landmark €1.15 billion Social Protection package, marking a significant step forward in supporting Ireland’s most vulnerable communities. The announcement, delivered as part of Budget 2027, reflects a €2 billion increase on the 2026 allocation, with targeted measures designed to uplift pensioners, carers, disabled individuals, and low-income families. The Budget also introduces Ireland’s first-ever Cost of Disability payment, a €500 lump sum for those receiving long-term disability allowances, alongside a co-design process to shape future supports in collaboration with disabled people and their representatives.
The package delivers on long-standing commitments to reduce child poverty, with a €6 weekly increase to Child Support Payments for nearly 330,000 children. Families benefiting from the Working Family Payment will also see their weekly income thresholds rise by €30, providing up to €18 extra per week. The Budget further strengthens employment supports, including a reduction in the Wage Subsidy Scheme’s hours threshold from 15 to 8 hours per week, alongside increases to earnings disregards for One Parent Family, Disability Allowance, and Blind Pension recipients. For carers, the weekly income disregard has been raised to €1,150 for singles and €2,300 for couples, bringing the Government closer to its goal of removing the means test entirely.
Pensioners and disabled individuals living alone will receive a €15.70 weekly increase in their Living Alone Allowance, while the Fuel Allowance will rise by €5 to €43 per week from January 2027, benefiting 460,000 households. The Christmas Bonus, valued at €380 million, will be paid in December 2026 to 1.4 million long-term social welfare recipients. Rural communities will also see targeted enhancements, including an expansion of the Rural Dweller pilot and a €35 weekly top-up for participants in the Community Employment Scheme, Tús, and Rural Social Scheme. The full details of all measures are available on the official website at Gov.ie/DSPBudget2027.
The package delivers on long-standing commitments to reduce child poverty, with a €6 weekly increase to Child Support Payments for nearly 330,000 children. Families benefiting from the Working Family Payment will also see their weekly income thresholds rise by €30, providing up to €18 extra per week. The Budget further strengthens employment supports, including a reduction in the Wage Subsidy Scheme’s hours threshold from 15 to 8 hours per week, alongside increases to earnings disregards for One Parent Family, Disability Allowance, and Blind Pension recipients. For carers, the weekly income disregard has been raised to €1,150 for singles and €2,300 for couples, bringing the Government closer to its goal of removing the means test entirely.
Pensioners and disabled individuals living alone will receive a €15.70 weekly increase in their Living Alone Allowance, while the Fuel Allowance will rise by €5 to €43 per week from January 2027, benefiting 460,000 households. The Christmas Bonus, valued at €380 million, will be paid in December 2026 to 1.4 million long-term social welfare recipients. Rural communities will also see targeted enhancements, including an expansion of the Rural Dweller pilot and a €35 weekly top-up for participants in the Community Employment Scheme, Tús, and Rural Social Scheme. The full details of all measures are available on the official website at Gov.ie/DSPBudget2027.
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