Government must act on key areas to tackle child poverty & support most vulnerable families in Budget 2026 

The National One Parent Family Alliance (NOPFA) has outlined
essential actions government must take to address child poverty and the high deprivation levels experienced by one-parent families in Budget 2026.
 

With one-parent families continuing to experience disproportionate rates of poverty and social exclusion, NOPFA’s budget asks are practical, evidence-based solutions to improve financial stability for families, prevent further family homelessness and ensure thousands of children across the country can have their basic needs met.
 

NOPFA’s budget actions include:
 

  • Invest in the Child Support Payment as a means to target the poorest children(previously Qualified Child Increase), by a minimum of €10 per week for children under 12 and by €20 for children over 12. This should be the start of working towards benchmarking of the payment to 45% of the primary social protection payment during this government term.
     
  • Extend the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST),a specific payment to lone parents who have young children and cannot enter the workforce due to their care responsibilities, until the youngest child completes secondary school, for parents engaged in employment, education or training.
     
  • Deliver commitment in Programme for Government to expand fuel allowance to all those in receipt of Working Family Payment (WFP). 

For NOPFA’s full list of budget actions, see here: https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/NOPFA-Pre-Budget-Submission_2026-2.pdf

Karen Kiernan, Chair of NOPFA and CEO One Family said:

“The current Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) creates a financial cliff-edge for parents once their child reaches ages 14. This is a systemic barrier that can be impossible for lone parents to overcome. We want this support extended until the youngest child completes second-level education, for parents engaged in employment, education or training. This support would ensure continued financial stability while lone parents work to improve their long-term economic prospects.”

Stephen Moffat, National Policy Manager, Barnardos said:
 

“40% of children we support live in one parent households. From our own experience, staff can see the disproportionate difficulty many have providing children with basic essentials. It’s vital that targeted supports are introduced in Budget 2026, such as increasing child support payments in line with inflation, to help pull families out of deprivation.”

Carly Baily, Policy Manager, One Family said:  

“It’s critical that government deliver on their commitment in the Programme for Government to include families who are in receipt of the Working Family Payment in eligibility for fuel allowance. Energy costs remain high and geopolitical tensions may further exacerbate energy prices. It is critical that one-parent families, many who are already living in deprivation and poverty, are not left to try and absorb high costs by themselves.”

ENDS

For further information or media enquiries, please contact Vicky Masterson, Communications Manager, One Family 083 447 0645/vmasterson@onefamily.ie

Notes to Editor:

About NOPFA

The National One Parent Family Alliance comprises the following national organisations including Barnardos, Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
One Family, National Women’s Council, SPARK, Focus Ireland, Treoir and Family Resource Centre National Forum. This Alliance was established in 2020 around a shared concern about the high levels of poverty experienced by lone parents and their children.

NOPFA’s proposals are grounded in recent research by the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office, the Vincentian MESL Research Centre, and CSO data from the 2024 SILC report.
You can access NOPFA’s complete Pre-Budget Submission here: https://onefamily.ie/wp-content/uploads/NOPFA-Pre-Budget-Submission_2026-2.pdf  

 

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