Absence of a 'Cost of Disability Payment' and insufficient social welfare increases will leave many with less income support than last year.
October 7 - AsIAm, Ireland's Autism Charity, has today expressed disappointment with Budget 2026, stating that it fails to provide the essential financial supports required to address the significant and ongoing cost of living crisis faced by the Autistic and Disabled community.
While acknowledging some welcome measures, the organisation has warned that the failure to introduce a dedicated Cost of Disability Payment, combined with insufficient increases in core social welfare rates, will result in a net income reduction for many disabled people compared to last year.
"While Budget 2026 contains some positive steps, it has ultimately failed to meet the scale of the challenge that Autistic people and our families face every single day," said Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm. "Modest increases to core payments will not break the appalling link between disability and poverty in Ireland. The phasing out of previous one-off payments means many of the most vulnerable in our community will be financially worse off, not better."
The organisation had called for a 10% increase across social welfare payments, estimated at a cost of €2.09 billion, to allow disabled people to participate with dignity in society. The announced increases fall far short of this. When last year's one-off payments are considered, this year's modest weekly increases will not mitigate the overall loss of income for many individuals. This financial setback will be felt acutely in the homes of Autistic people across Ireland, ensuring the state remains one of the worst-performing EU nations for poverty rates among disabled citizens who are unable to work.
AsIAm welcome the increased investment in Disability Services and supports for disabled students but awaits further details which will be clearer in the coming days and weeks.
"We need to see precisely how this new funding will translate into much-needed, tangible services on the ground," continued Harris. "It is critical to know if these investments will genuinely expand services or simply maintain the current inadequate levels in the face of demographic changes. We are also awaiting detail on how this funding will support the implementation of the government's Autism Innovation Strategy and the government’s Autism-specific commitments in the Programme for Government”
AsIAm welcomed changes to the income disregard threshold for carers as a positive step but reiterated its call for the complete abolition of means testing for carers by 2027.
"The vital role of carers must be fully supported, and while today’s changes are welcome, they are only a step on a journey that must end in the full removal of the means test," stated Harris. "It is an unacceptable reality that 1 in 4 households with a disabled person experiences poverty in Ireland today. This budget was an opportunity to take decisive action on that alarming statistic, an opportunity that has been largely missed."
