Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 October 2025
213. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of families in each county that will benefit from working family payment income thresholds increasing by €60 per week following Budget 2026, in tabular form. [55623/25]
View answerWorking Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them.
Budget 2026 included an increase in the income thresholds for Working Family Payment. This increase will take effect from January 2026 and will see the income limit for all family sizes increase by €60. This will see an increase in payment of €36 per week across current claims. This change to income thresholds will lead to an increase in number of persons eligible to apply for WFP, however, it is not possible to predict the level of this increase.
Please see table provided with breakdown by county of customers in receipt of WFP at the end of September 2025.
|
County |
Recipients |
|
Carlow |
716 |
|
Cavan |
1,024 |
|
Clare |
1,128 |
|
Cork |
4,676 |
|
Donegal |
2,429 |
|
Dublin |
12,721 |
|
Galway |
2,292 |
|
Kerry |
1,565 |
|
Kildare |
2,302 |
|
Kilkenny |
953 |
|
Laois |
1,072 |
|
Leitrim |
344 |
|
Limerick |
2,107 |
|
Longford |
660 |
|
Louth |
1,873 |
|
Mayo |
1,340 |
|
Meath |
2,063 |
|
Monaghan |
938 |
|
Offaly |
850 |
|
Roscommon |
702 |
|
Sligo |
691 |
|
Tipperary |
1,732 |
|
Waterford |
1,466 |
|
Westmeath |
971 |
|
Wexford |
2,091 |
|
Wicklow |
1,088 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
49,794 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
