The increases, delivered under Budget 2022, will cost an estimated €450.6m.

The maximum weekly rate of all pensions payments (for people aged 66 and over) is increasing by €5 a week with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those in receipt of reduced rates of payment.

This is the first time the rate of payment for pensioners has increased since March 2019 and is expected to benefit a total of 775,000 people nationwide.

The Living Alone Allowance is increasing for the third year in a row and will be paid at €22 a week.

This is an additional payment made every week to people living alone and in receipt of social welfare payments such as the State Pension, Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, and Invalidity Pension.

The €3 rate increase will benefit 230,000 recipients nationwide.

Many social welfare payment recipients will also benefit from an increase for qualified child dependants, effective from this week.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said the increases are coming into effect this week, as opposed to previous Budgets when increases were implemented later in the year.

“They represent the first across-the-board increases since 2019,” the minister said.