Government accused of 'sting in the tail' to middle income workers as 10 budget hike will not apply to new benefit

"does not provide for a change in the rates of jobseeker's pay-related benefit"

"In the three years since, the personal rate of all other core weekly payments and pensions increased by €36 per week, rising to €46 from January 2026,"

"Holding the weekly payment caps at their 2022 level; not adjusting to take account of inflation or wage growth, will mean the budget failed to address sharp income cliff-edges,"

"From 2028, workers and their employers, on their behalf, will be contributing an additional €1.6bn annually,"

Budget 2026 provides a €10 weekly increase from January for most social welfare recipients while leaving jobseeker's pay-related benefit rates unchanged. The Department of Social Protection confirmed the budget does not change rates of the pay-related payment. The pay-related jobseeker's benefit links to a worker's previous wage, paying up to 60% of former earnings, capped at €450 a week for 13 weeks before the maximum rate falls. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions criticised the freeze, noting top caps have not changed since 2022 while other core payments rose and PRSI funding will increase from 2028.

Read at Irish Independent