Budget 2026: 10 rise in pension and welfare rates, 1,000 extra childcare places and half a billion increase for disability services as talks go down to wire

"The old age pension is set to rise by €10 in Budget 2026 1,000 additional childcare places Vat rate expected to be cut to 9pc for the building of new apartments and homes €500 cut in student fees expected Mental-health crisis teams to staff A&Es Unlikely to be any cut in cost of childcare"

"A €10 euro increase in core welfare payments will be announced in tomorrow's Budget, as talks go down to the wire. The Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary, has been pushing for a €12 hike to match last year's rise."

Core welfare payments, including the old-age pension, will increase by €10 in Budget 2026. The budget will provide 1,000 additional childcare places. A reduced VAT rate of 9% is expected for the construction of new apartments and homes to stimulate housing supply. A €500 reduction in student fees is expected. Mental-health crisis teams will be deployed to staff A&E departments. Childcare costs are unlikely to fall despite additional places. Negotiations continued late into the process, with the Minister for Social Protection having pushed for a €12 increase to match the previous year.

Read at Independent