Social welfare payments due on 6 April are expected to arrive early on 3 or 4 April, with Child Benefit on 7 April also affected by the bank holiday
Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary(Image: Collins)
Social welfare claimants need to take note as changes to the payment timetable are approaching. Easter Monday falls on 6 April in just a few weeks’ time.
Due to this, financial institutions and post offices will not be operating on that date. This means anyone anticipating a social welfare payment on the 6th will likely receive it earlier. It is anticipated that your payment will arrive in your account on Friday 3 or Saturday 4 April.
Due to the bank holiday, anyone receiving Child Benefit on 7 April will probably also be paid earlier, on the Friday or Saturday as well. This is to guarantee that nobody experiences a delayed payment because of the banks being shut, reports RSVP Live.
The complete list of bank and public holidays remaining in 2026 are as follows:
- 6th April (Easter Monday)
- 4th May (May bank holiday)
- 1st June (June bank holiday)
- 3rd August (August bank holiday)
- 26th October (October bank holiday)
- 25th December (Christmas Day 2026)
- 26th December (St Stephen’s Day 2026)
This follows a recent timetable adjustment this week for St Patrick’s Day on 17 March. The Department of Social Protection published a notice on their website outlining the payment modification.
“Tuesday 17 March is a Bank Holiday and as a result, any social welfare payments due to be in your account on Tuesday 17 March will now be paid on Monday 16 March instead,” they said. “All Intreo Centres and Branch Offices will be closed on Tuesday 17 March. Intreo Centres and Branch Offices will reopen on Wednesday 18 March.”
This comes as the Department of Social Protection recently revealed that the Fuel Allowance has been extended to an additional 50,000 households. Budget 2026 has paved the way for the Fuel Allowance payment to be extended to those receiving the Working Family Payment.
The measure takes effect next week and will be backdated to January. This means an additional 50,000 households will now qualify for the Fuel Allowance.
The newly eligible families will receive backdated payments of up to €380 on Thursday, 12 March, alongside their weekly Working Family Payment.
From January 2026, the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance was increased by €5 per week to €38, bringing the total per recipient to €1,064 annually.
Speaking about the Fuel Allowance expansion, Minister Calleary said: “An additional 50,000 working families are now eligible for the Fuel Allowance. This means that hardworking families across the country on lower incomes will receive additional help with their energy bills. I am delighted to have introduced this important expansion as part of my first budget.
“The Fuel Allowance plays a vital role in supporting families with their heating costs over the winter months. The expansion I am announcing today means there are over 470,000 households now receiving this valuable support.
“This is a targeted, practical intervention that will help working families manage energy costs and reduce financial pressure during the winter months, and it reflects a broader commitment: to ensure that work is rewarded, that families are supported, and that no child grows up in poverty.”
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