PZak Carolan · The People's PocketRates page · updated 2026-10-11
Every weekly rate in the Irish social welfare system for 2026, in one place.
Each figure is read from the same engine that runs our calculators,
which is checked against 708 official sources on a published schedule — so this
page cannot quietly drift out of date the way a typed table does.
These are maximum rates. Most payments are
means-tested, so what you actually get depends on your income, savings and household.
Use
the calculator to work out your own figure, and
always confirm with the Department before you rely on one.
Disability and illness
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 | Adult dependant |
|---|
| Disability AllowanceMeans-tested. First €165 a week of earnings disregarded, half of €165–€375, and everything above €375 assessed in full — which is why earning more can leave you with less. | €254 | €264 | €168.60 |
| Blind PensionMeans-tested. Same €165 disregard as Disability Allowance, then half the balance — but with no €375 cut-off. | €254 | €264 | €168.60 |
| Illness BenefitNot means-tested. Banded on your average weekly earnings in the relevant tax year (2024 for a 2026 claim): €254 at €300+, €198.90 at €220–€299.99, €163.70 at €150–€219.99, €114 below that. | €254 | €264 | €168.60 |
| Invalidity PensionNot means-tested. At 66 you transfer automatically to the State Pension (Contributory). | €259.50 | €269.50 | €185.40 |
Caring
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 |
|---|
| Carer's Allowance (under 66)Means-tested. From 2 July 2026 the first €1,000 of weekly income is ignored (€2,000 for a couple). Ends outright above 18.5 hours a week of work or study. | €270 | €280 |
| Carer's Benefit (one person)Not means-tested. Up to 104 weeks per person cared for. Ends above 18.5 hours a week, or above €1,000 a week of net earnings. | €271 | €281 |
| Carer's Benefit (more than one) | €406.50 | rises; amount not yet published |
Families and children
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 |
|---|
| One-Parent Family PaymentMeans-tested, and cohabiting ends the claim outright. Paid until the youngest child turns 7. | €254 | €264 |
| Jobseeker's Transitional PaymentWhere a lone parent moves when the youngest turns 7, until they turn 14. Self-employment gets no €165 disregard at all and is assessed in full. | €254 | €264 |
| Maternity BenefitPaid for 26 weeks — €7,774 in total. | €299 | €309 |
| Adoptive BenefitPaid for 24 weeks. | €299 | €309 |
| Parent's Benefit9 weeks per parent — a couple can claim 9 weeks each. | €299 | €309 |
| Paternity BenefitPaid for 2 weeks. | €299 | €309 |
| Guardian's PaymentPer child, and the same amount whether contributory or non-contributory. | €237 | €247 |
Out of work
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 | Adult dependant |
|---|
| Jobseeker's AllowanceMeans-tested, and it stops at more than 3 days a week — a hard limit, not a taper. | €254 | €264 | |
| Jobseeker's BenefitNot means-tested. The same banded table as Illness Benefit. | €254 | €264 | €168.60 |
| Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit (first 13 weeks)60% of previous earnings, capped. Steps down to 55% (€375) then 50% (€300), with a €125 floor. No adult or child increases are paid with it. | €450 | no change announced | |
| Supplementary Welfare Allowance€163.70 if you are under 25 and not living independently on a state housing support — unless you have children, which restores the full rate at any age. | €252 | €262 | €168.60 |
Over 66
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 | Adult dependant |
|---|
| State Pension (Contributory), drawn at 66€313.40 if drawn at 67, €328.90 at 68. Deferring from 66 to 68 is worth €29.60 a week for life. | €299.30 | €309.30 | €199.40 |
| State Pension (Non-Contributory)Means-tested. First €30 a week of means ignored, then the pension steps down €2.50 for every €2.50. Employment earnings disregarded to €200 a week — but not self-employment. | €288 | €298 | €190.20 |
| Benefit Payment for 65 Year OldsJobseeker's Benefit without the job-seeking conditions. | €254 | €264 | €168.60 |
Bereavement
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 |
|---|
| Bereaved Partner's (Contributory), under 6648+ contributions. €299.30 from 66, €309.30 from 80. | €259.50 | €269.50 |
| Bereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory)Means-tested. | €254 | €264 |
Medical Card and GP Visit Card — weekly income limits
| Payment | Weekly rate |
|---|
| Medical Card, single living alone (under 66)Assessed on net income after tax, PRSI and USC, with allowable expenses deducted: rent (excluding any part met by Rent Supplement or HAP), mortgage, childcare, maintenance paid, nursing and home care, and travel to work. | €184 |
| Medical Card, single living with family (under 66) | €164 |
| Medical Card, couple or lone parent (under 66) | €266.50 |
| GP Visit Card, single living alone (under 70)More than twice the medical card limit. A lot of people refused a medical card qualify for this and never apply. | €418 |
| GP Visit Card, couple or lone parent (under 70) | €607 |
| Medical Card, single aged 70 or overAssessed on gross income, with no expenses deducted — the opposite of the under-70 test. | €550 |
| Medical Card, couple where either is 70 or over | €1,050 |
Child increases and supports
| Payment | Weekly rate | From January 2027 |
|---|
| Child Support Payment, child under 12Halved if a partner earns €310–€400 a week, and not paid at all above €400. | €58 | €64 |
| Child Support Payment, child 12 or over | €78 | €84 |
| Fuel Allowance€38 a week for the 28 weeks of the fuel season — about €1,064 a year. Our calculators spread it across 52 weeks (€20.46) so that weekly household totals stay comparable year-round. | €38 | €43 |
| Living Alone Increase | €22 | €25 |
- 708 figures, each sourcedEvery money figure is tied to the official page it came from and re-checked automatically. See them all.
- 675 outcome testsThe calculations are checked against the departments’ own published worked examples on every change.
- Nothing leaves your deviceThis runs entirely in your browser. We never see what you enter and store nothing.
- Ireland, NI and EnglandOne tool across the border, which matters if you have worked on both sides of it.
Figures last verified against source on 2026-10-11. How we check them →
When these change
These are the rates paid today. Budget 2027 raises most of them from January 2027: see the From January 2027 column, partner (adult dependant) rates included. We hold every rate with the date it took effect, so the
calculators answer a question about a past date with the rate that applied then — which
matters if you are querying a decision made earlier in the year.