Weekly rates: 2026 and 2027
| Payment, maximum personal rate | 2026 | From January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| State Pension (Contributory) | €299.30 | €309.30 |
| State Pension (Non-Contributory) | €288.00 | €298.00 |
| Jobseeker's Benefit | €254.00 | €264.00 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (aged 25 or over) | €254.00 | €264.00 |
| Illness Benefit | €254.00 | €264.00 |
| Invalidity Pension | €259.50 | €269.50 |
| Disability Allowance | €254.00 | €264.00 |
| Carer's Allowance (carer under 66) | €270.00 | €280.00 |
| One-Parent Family Payment | €254.00 | €264.00 |
| Maternity and Paternity Benefit | €299.00 | €309.00 |
| Farm Assist | €254.00 | €264.00 |
These are maximum rates for one person. Many people get less because of a means test or their PRSI record, and their payment rises in proportion. Increases for a qualified adult, a spouse or partner you support, also rise in proportion to the €10. The Department of Social Protection publishes every rate, including reduced ones, in its SW19 rates booklet; we will check the table against the 2027 edition when it is out.
Other welfare changes in Budget 2027
- Fuel Allowance up €5, from €38 to €43 a week. The income limit for a single pensioner rises from €534 to €640 a week, so more people qualify.
- Living Alone Increase up €3, from €22 to €25 a week.
- Child Support Payment up €6 a week for each child, under 12 and 12 and over. In 2026 it is €58 and €78.
- Cost of disability payment: a new one-off €500 for people getting a long-term disability payment.
- Working Family Payment: income limits up €30 a week for every family size.
- Carer's Allowance: the income disregard rises to €1,150 a week for a single person and €2,300 for a couple, from July 2027.
- Earnings disregard for One-Parent Family Payment, Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension up €10 to €175 a week, from July 2027.
- Community Employment, Tús and Rural Social Scheme: the top-up rises €2.50 to €35 a week.
Before then: the Christmas Bonus
People on long-term payments also get a double week in early December 2026. Christmas Bonus 2026: who gets it and how much.
Is social welfare taxed?
Payments from the Department of Social Protection are not subject to USC. Some, such as the State Pension (Contributory), Jobseeker's Benefit and Illness Benefit, count as income for income tax, which matters if you also have a job or another pension. See our tax credits 2027 and USC 2027 pages.
Where this comes from
2026 rates: Department of Social Protection, Rates of Payment 2026 (SW19), May 2026. Budget 2027 changes: Citizens Information, Budget 2027, 6 October 2026. The 2027 column adds the €10 announced to the 2026 maximum rate. Checked on 6 October 2026.
Welfare rates 2027: common questions
How much is the State Pension in 2027?
The full State Pension (Contributory) rises by €10 to €309.30 a week from January 2027. The full non-contributory pension goes from €288 to €298.
How much is Jobseeker's Allowance in 2027?
The maximum personal rate rises from €254 to €264 a week in January 2027, for people aged 25 or over. Jobseeker's Benefit goes up by the same amount.
When do the 2027 welfare increases start?
In January 2027, from the first payment of the new year.
Is Child Benefit going up in 2027?
Child Benefit was not among the increases announced in Budget 2027. The Child Support Payment, paid with weekly welfare for each child, rises by €6.
How much is the Fuel Allowance in 2027?
€43 a week, up from €38, and the income limit for a single pensioner rises to €640 a week.