Social Welfare

0 results

Accommodation Recognition Payment
A monthly payment of €800 available to you if you are providing accommodation to a person or people who arrived in Ireland under the EU Temporary Protection Directive since March 2022
Activation and Family Support Programme (AFSP)
The Activation and Family Support Programme funds training supports and education for people on social welfare. These supports and funding are carried out with other organisations and agencies.
Adoptive Benefit
Adoptive Benefit is €250 per week for 24 weeks. It is paid to an employed or self-employed person who adopts a child. You must be on adoptive leave from work and covered by social insurance (PRSI).
After School Childcare Scheme
The After School Childcare Scheme supports low-income and unemployed people to take a job, increase the hours they work or take a place on employment programmes. The rate is €3 a day per child.
Appoint someone to act on your behalf
If you cannot collect a payment or manage your affairs you can ask that another person acts for you. They can collect payments on a temporary or long-term basis. An agent must be over the age of 18.
Back to Education Allowance
Back to Education Allowance may let you attend second or third level courses if you are getting certain social welfare payments. The payment is the same as before getting Back to Education Allowance.
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a once-off payment to help with the costs of clothing and footwear when school starts each autumn. Children 4 – 11 €160. Children 12 – 22 €285.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) helps people getting some welfare payments to become self-employed. Take part in the BTWEA and you can keep a percent of your welfare for up to 2 years.
Back to Work Family Dividend
Back to Work Family Dividend is a payment to help people with children move from welfare into work. From January 2023 the full rate for a child will increase to €42 for under 12s, €50 for over 12s.
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people who do not have enough income to meet their needs and those of their families. The maximum personal rate is €218 a week.
Benefit of Work Estimator
The benefit of work estimator shows how starting work or increasing your hours could affect your payment. The estimate includes income from employment and any welfare payments you are entitled to.
Blind Pension
A means-tested payment paid to blind and visually impaired people who are habitually resident in Ireland.
Carer's Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is for people on low incomes who are caring for a person who needs full-time care because of age, disability or illness. The maximum weekly rate is €224 under 66, €262 over 66.
Carer's Benefit
Carer’s Benefit is paid to people required to leave the workforce or reduce their hours to care for a person who needs full-time care. It is paid for up to 2 years. Carer’s Benefit is €225 a week.
Carer's Support Grant
The Carer’s Support Grant is paid yearly to carers who get Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. The Carer’s Support Grant is €1,850. It is paid the first Thursday in June.
Child Benefit
Child Benefit is €140 paid monthly to help parents and guardians. It is paid for each child who lives with you, is under 16, or under 18 in full-time education. Twins or multiple births get a higher rate.
Claiming an EU Pension
Claiming an EU Pension if you are living in the EU or abroad
Claiming Benefits Abroad
If you leave Ireland to live in an EU country, you may be entitled to receive social security benefits there. For social security services, you are treated the same way as the nationals of that country.
Community Employment Ex-Gratia Payment for Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors
The Community Employment Ex-Gratia Payment is a payment for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors. The rate of payment is 2 weeks’ salary for every year you supervised with CE.
Community Employment Programme
The Community Employment programme helps people who are long-term unemployed get back to work with part-time job placements in local communities. The placements are for 12 months.
Constant Attendance Allowance
The Constant Attendance Allowance is an increase to Disablement Benefit if you need daily care because of an accident at work or work-related illness. The payment is €225 per week.
COVID-19 Employer Refund Scheme
The COVID-19 Employer Refund Scheme was replaced with the Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy. This in turn was replaced by The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme from September 2020.
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP)
PUP was open to you if you were an employee or self-employed and lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme closed to new applicants on 22 January 2022. This page is for information only.
COVID-19 Part Time Job Incentive for the Self-Employed
The COVID-19 Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme for the self-employed has closed. The scheme was available to self-employed people who were in receipt of the PUP or a prior to their application.
COVID-19 Related Lay-Off Payment Scheme
The COVID-19 Related Lay-Off Payment Scheme is payment for those made redundant since March 2020, or before January 2025, who lost reckonable service to lay-offs caused by COVID-19 restrictions.
COVID-19: Interpreting Service for Deaf People
Deaf Irish Sign Language users can get information about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) using Irish Remote Interpreting Service (IRIS)
Customer Feedback
If you wish to make a comment, compliment or complaint about the Department please complete the form below. All feedback will be investigated and dealt with promptly, impartially and in confidence.
Daily Expenses Allowance
The Daily Expenses Allowance is €38.80 per week, paid to applicants for International Protection who live in accommodation provided by International Protection Accommodation Services.
Death Benefit Scheme (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)
Death Benefit (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme) is paid to the surviving spouse or civil partner of a person who died as a result of an accident at work or an occupational disease.
Deduction of Local Property Tax
The Deduction of Local Property Tax at source is available to some who wish to pay their Local Property Tax from their welfare payment. It is limited to certain payments.
Deserted Wife's Allowance
It is no longer possible to apply for Deserted Wife's Allowance. Some women continue to receive Deserted Wife's Allowance because they qualified for the payment before 2 January 1997.
Deserted Wife's Benefit
It is no longer possible to apply for Deserted Wife's Benefit. Some women continue to receive Deserted Wife's Allowance because they qualified for the payment before 2 January 1997.
Dietary Supplement
The Diet Supplement closed to new applicants in 2014. However, if you were getting it before it was closed, you may be able to keep it. The length and type of diet must be stated in the prescription.
Disability Allowance
Disability Allowance is paid to people with a disability. You can get it from 16. The maximum weekly rate is €208. From January 2023 it will increase to €220. You can work and receive a reduced rate.
Disability Awareness Support Scheme
A scheme that provides funding for private sector employers for Disability Awareness Training for staff who work with a colleague who has a disability.
Disablement Benefit
Disablement Benefit is paid if you lose physical or mental abilities because of your work. If you have 100% disablement, your weekly payment is €239. This will increase by €12 in January 2023.
Domiciliary Care Allowance
Domiciliary Care Allowance is €309.50 paid monthly for a child with a severe disability. The child must live at home with the person claiming the allowance. It will increase to €330 in January 2023.
DSP Privacy Statement and Data Protection
The Department of Social Protection takes its responsibilities in relation to data protection very seriously. Every effort is made to ensure that personal customer data is used solely for business purposes and that it is not compromised in any way.
EmployAbility Services
EmployAbility is an employment support service for people with a health condition, injury, illness or disability. It is also a recruitment advice service for the business community.
Employee Retention Grant
The Employee Retention Grant Scheme helps employers keep employees who get an illness, or impairment that affects their work. Funds are available to keep any worker, at any level in the company.
Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19
The Enhanced rate of Illness Benefit is no longer available. This page is just for informational purposes. The enhanced rate of Illness Benefit came to an end on Friday 30 September 2022.
Enterprise Support Grant
The Enterprise Support Grant financially supports new enterprises, and gives income support to jobseekers under Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and Short-Term Enterprise Allowance.
Enterprise Support Grant for businesses impacted by COVID-19
The Enterprise Support Grant was for self-employed people who closed their COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. It gave a grant of up to €1,000 to business owners to restart their business.
Exceptional Needs Payments (SWA)
A single payment to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure.
Farm Assist
Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers. The means test considers most forms of income, assessed in different ways. The maximum personal rate is €220 a week.
Find your local Intreo Centre
Facility to help you find your local Intreo centre, social welfare and branch offices by county.
Fish Assist
Fish Assist is not a separate scheme. It comes under Jobseeker's Allowance. A fisherman or woman on low income may qualify. You must satisfy a means test and be available for and genuinely seeking work.
Free Travel Scheme
The Free Travel Scheme allows you to travel free on all public transport. This includes bus, rail and Dublin’s LUAS. Everyone aged 66 and over living in the state is entitled to the Free Travel Scheme.
Freedom of Information requests for the department
Freedom of information applications to the Department of Social Protection must written and state the records are being applied for under the FOI Act. They should say if it is needed in a certain form.
Fuel Allowance
Fuel Allowance is paid to help with the cost of heating your home during winter. You can get it if you get long-term social welfare payments. It is €33 each week from September 2022 to April 2023.
General Enquiry
If you want to ask the department a question on a particular subject, please complete and submit the form by clicking the link below.
Guardian's Payment
Guardian’s Payment is paid to a child’s guardian for a child who has been orphaned. Payment is till 18 or, if in education, until 22. The maximum weekly rate is €203, increasing to €203 in January 2023.
Health and Safety Benefit
Health and Safety Benefit is €208 a week paid to those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, work nights or in hazardous environments and are on health and safety leave. From January 2023 it will be €220.
HomeCaring Periods Scheme
The HomeCaring Periods Scheme makes it easier to qualify for a higher rate State Pension. Under this scheme, periods when you were caring for someone can be included in your social insurance record.
Homemaker’s Scheme
A homemaker, under the scheme, is someone who provides full-time care for a child under 12 or an ill or disabled person over 12. It makes it easier to qualify for a higher State Pension Contributory.
Household Benefits Package
The Household Benefits Package helps with the costs of your electricity or gas bills. The rate is €1.15 per day, paid monthly. It also includes a television licence. A household can only have one HBP.
How to get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number
To apply for a PPS Number, you need a basic MyGovID account. You need to upload copies of your identity document, your proof of address, and evidence of why you need a PPS Number.
How to get a Public Services Card (PSC)
To get a Public Services Card you go to your local PSC/SAFE Registration Centre. Some centres require an appointment, and some offer a walk-in service only. It will take around 15 minutes.
How to get a social welfare payment into your bank
You can get payment at any bank or post office. If you have a verified MyGovId account, you can change your details online. Alternatively, you can change your bank details by sending a completed form.
How to sign up for MyGovID
To sign up for a basic MyGovID account online, you need your name and an email address. You will get an email with a 6-digit code. Once you enter that you have created your basic MyGovID account.
How to use your PSC Free Travel Card or Paper Pass
How you use your Free Travel Pass depends on if it is a paper pass or a PSC. You must present a paper pass to the driver or operator of the service. You may present a PSC pass to the reader, or driver.
Humanitarian Assistance Scheme
The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme provides emergency financial assistance to households affected by a severe weather event. It is administered by the Community Welfare Service.
Illness Benefit
Illness Benefit helps support you if you cannot work in the short term if you are ill. Your illness must be certified by a doctor. From January the maximum weekly rate will increase by €12 to €220.
Incapacity Supplement
Incapacity Supplement is a supplement to people getting Disablement Benefit. From January 2023 Incapacity Supplement increases by €12 to €220 for people under 66, and €239.30 for people over 66
Increase for a Qualified Adult
To get an Increase for a Qualified Adult, you must give details about your dependant on the form when you apply for a social welfare payment. Your dependant must not have a welfare payment of their own.
Increase for a Qualified Child
To get an Increase for a Qualified Child, you must give details about your dependant on the form when you apply for a social welfare payment. Your dependant must not have a welfare payment of their own.
Increase for Living on a Specified Island
People living on islands face extra costs travelling to access mainland services. The Increase for Living on a Specified Island compensates for those extra costs. The increase to a payment is €20.
Injury Benefit
Injury Benefit is a weekly payment to you if you are unfit to work due to an accident at work, or a disease due to the work you do. From January 2023 the maximum weekly rate increases by €12 to €220.
Insolvency Payments Scheme
The Insolvency Payments Scheme protects former employees of companies that are insolvent. They may claim, through a representative, such as the liquidator or receiver, various outstanding debts.
Intreo Employment and Income Supports
Information on Intreo, a service that is a point of contact for all employment and income supports. Intreo gives practical, tailored employment services and supports for job seekers and employers.
Invalidity Pension
Invalidity Pension is paid to people covered by social insurance who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability. From January 2023 the maximum weekly rate increases by €12 to €225.50.
Job Interview Interpreter Grant
If you are a jobseeker who is deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment and you are attending job interviews, you may apply for funding to have an interpreter attend the interviews with you.
Jobseeker's Allowance
A means tested payment for people who become unemployed.
Jobseeker's Benefit
Jobseeker's Benefit is for people between 18 and 66 who become unemployed and have enough PRSI contributions. The full rate is €220 per week. If you earned less than €300, you do not get the full rate.
Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed
Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed is for people between 18 and 66 who become fully or partly unemployed and have paid enough PRSI contributions. The full rate is €220 per week.
Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment is a is an arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme. It is means-tested. You may qualify if your child is between 7 and 14 and you do not live with a spouse.
JobsIreland
JobsIreland provides guidance and resources for both employers and jobseekers. These include finding a job, CV templates and advice, advertising employer vacancies and job-matching services.
JobsPlus
JobsPlus is an employer incentive to reward employers who offer opportunities to people who are unemployed. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 or €10,000 over two years.
Living Alone Increase
Living Alone Increase is €22 extra for people on some payments who live alone. If you are over 66 and live alone, you qualify if you get one of the qualifying payments. You may also qualify under 66.
Magdalen Commission Scheme
The Magdalen Commission Scheme was set up under the recommendations of The Magdalen Commission Report 2013. This recommended an ex-gratia scheme of a combination of a lump sum and weekly payments.
Make a Subject Access Request
Requests for personal data must include proof of identity. They should include your name, PPS number, address, signature and date. Details that help locate the subject of your request also help.
Maternity Benefit
A payment for employed and self-employed people who are on maternity leave from work and covered by social insurance (PRSI). On full-rate Maternity Benefit, you get €262 a week for 26 weeks.
Medical Care Scheme
Allows you to get a refund of medical care and attention not paid by the HSE or the Treatment Benefit Scheme. You must notify the department within 6 weeks of starting medical treatment.
MyWelfare.ie
MyWelfare.ie is the home of social welfare services. It gives you easy access to a range of services, including applying for certain benefits, updating your details, ordering statements.
One-Parent Family Payment
One-Parent Family Payment is a payment for parents under 66 who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under 7. The maximum weekly rate for One-Parent Family Payment is €220.
Parent's Benefit
Parent’s Benefit is currently €262 a week for seven weeks. Parent’s Benefit can be paid in weekly blocks or over a consecutive 7 week period. Parents can take 7 weeks together or separately.
Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme
The Part-Time Job Incentive allows people who are long-term unemployed to take up employment for less than 24 hours a week and still receive an income supplement. It is €139.40 per week.
Partial Capacity Benefit
Partial Capacity Benefit is paid if you cannot work to your full capacity. The rate is based on a medical assessment of your incapacity. The maximum weekly rate for profound incapacity is €220.
Paternity Benefit
Paternity Benefit is a payment to people who are on paternity leave from work and covered by social insurance. It is €262 a week, for two weeks. Paternity Benefit is available to same-sex couples.
Personal Reader Grant
If you are blind or visually impaired and need help with job-related reading, you may get a personal reader grant. This is only paid for private employees. It is paid for a period up to 640 hours a year.
Professional Artists on Jobseeker’s Allowance
Professional Artists on Jobseeker’s Allowance supports you if you are a self-employed artist on Jobseeker's Allowance. If you qualify, you do not take part in the activation programme for one year.
PRSI Refunds
You can apply for a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) refund if the wrong PRSI rate has been paid from your wages or income. Applications can be made for the last 4 complete tax years.
Reasonable Accommodation Fund
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund gives money to employers, employees and jobseekers with disabilities. The money is to help with the cost of reasonable accommodations at work.
Record of Death Abroad
If an Irish citizen dies abroad, and the death is within 5 years of being resident in Ireland, it can be recorded in the Record of Deaths Abroad. There is no fee for this, and copies of records are free.
Recovery of Benefits and Assistance Scheme
Recovery of Certain Benefits and Assistance Scheme enables the department to recover the value of certain illness-related social welfare payments from compensation awards made to persons as a consequence of personal injuries claims. The benefits are recovered from the compensator and not from the injured person.
Redundancy Calculator
There is a redundancy calculator on MyWelfare.ie which can be used to estimate redundancy entitlements before making a claim.
Redundancy Payment Scheme
The Redundancy Payment Scheme makes statutory redundancy payments from the Social Insurance Fund to an employee where an employer is unable to make a statutory redundancy payment.
Rent Supplement
Rent Supplement is a payment for some people renting private housing who cannot afford their housing from their own income. To qualify you must meet one of the two qualifying conditions.
Rental Accommodation Scheme
A social housing support which caters for the accommodation needs of certain people who are getting long-term rent supplement
Report suspected social welfare fraud
You can anonymously Report Suspected Fraud to the Department of Social Protection online, by phone or in writing. We investigate, but we do not provide you with any outcomes of these investigations.
Request a Statement
The quickest way to get a statement from the Department of Social Protection is through MyWelfare.ie. You can request a statement of payments, or your history and record of contributions.
Request an application form
If you need to apply for a social welfare payment, you can do this online or by downloading or requesting an application form. You can search for the form you need by using our list of Social Welfare Forms.
Rural Social Scheme
The Rural Social Scheme gives a supplementary income for low-income farmers and fishermen or women unable to earn an adequate living. To qualify you must be getting a social welfare payment.
School Meals Scheme
The School Meals Programme provides funding towards food services for school children through two schemes, the Urban School Meals Scheme and School Meals Local Projects Scheme.
Self-Employed Benefits
A list of benefits eligible self-employed people can access. Links to local enterprise offices which can help anyone considering starting their own business.
Services available to Jobseekers on MyWelfare.ie
You will need a verified MyGovID account to access these services. You will need a Public Services Card (PSC) and to be SAFE registered in order to have a verified MyGovID account.
Short-Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA)
The Short-Term Enterprise Allowance supports you if you have lost your job and want to start your own business. It is paid instead of your Jobseeker’s Benefit for a maximum of 9 months.
Short-Time Work Support
Short-Time Work Support is a form of Jobseeker's Benefit and is an income support payment for people temporarily placed on a shorter week by their employer. The way to apply is through MyWelfare.ie.
Special Funeral Grant (under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme)
If someone dies from an accident at work or a disease related to work, a special Funeral Grant is available under Injury Benefit. The grant is €850. The person must have paid social insurance.
State Pension (Contributory)
State Pension (Contributory) is a payment which you may qualify for at 66 if you have enough social insurance contributions. This pension is based on your social insurance (PRSI) contributions.
State Pension (Non-contributory)
The State Pension (Non-contributory) is a means-tested payment if you don't qualify for a contributory pension on your PRSI contributions or if you only qualify for a reduced rate of State Pension.
Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Supplements
A Supplementary Welfare Allowance supplement may be paid to assist you meet ongoing additional expenses which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
Telephone Support Allowance
Telephone Support Allowance €2.50 a week for people who live alone and are already in receipt of certain other social welfare payments. It assists with the cost of communications or home security.
Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme
The Temporary COVID-19 Wage Subsidy is a scheme which allow employers to pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Training Support Grant
The Training Support Grant funds access to training, or certification and allows jobseekers that have identified work opportunities or an immediate skills gap to take up a job offer.
Transfer of Private Pensions to Ireland for returning Irish Emigrants
The rules on pension transfers vary from country to country. Returning emigrants are advised to contact the relevant regulatory authorities in the country where they have the pension savings.
Treatment Benefit Scheme
Treatment Benefit may help meet the cost of dental or optical care, hearing aids and hair replacement products. You claim through your dentist, optician, audiologist or hair replacement provider.
Tús (community work placement initiative)
The Tús initiative is a community work placement scheme providing short-term working opportunities for unemployed people. The opportunities are to benefit the community in urban and rural areas.
Unpaid Parental Leave
Parents may take Parental Leave, as a continuous block of 18 weeks or broken up over a period. Parents get a credit for each full week taken. This ensures that cover for social welfare is maintained.
Urgent Needs Payments (SWA)
A once-off payment made to persons who would not normally qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance but who have an urgent need.
Voluntary Work Option
The Voluntary Work Option allows jobseekers to work in the voluntary sector. This is normally for a few hours a day but full-time roles in voluntary groups can be agreed with your case officer.
Volunteer Development Worker Scheme
A Volunteer Development Worker works in a job in a developing country arranged through Irish Aid. They do not have to pay Social Insurance contributions while they are out of Ireland.
Wage Subsidy Scheme
The Wage Subsidy Scheme gives financial incentives to employers to employ people with a disability. The work must be for a minimum of 21 hours a week and the subsidy is for up to 39 hours a week.
Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner Grant
A Widowed(Parent) or Surviving Civil Partner Grant is a once-off, €8,000, payment to help with income support needs of a widowed partner immediately following the death of their spouse.
Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension is paid to the husband, wife or civil partner of a deceased person. You or the deceased must have enough PRSI contributions.
Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension is a means-tested payment to spouse who does not qualify for the Widow’s, Widower’s (Contributory) Pension.
Work Placement Experience Programme
The Work Placement Experience Programme is a 6-month voluntary work experience programme for jobseekers on a qualifying social welfare payment. You must have been unemployed for 6 months.
Work Placement Experience Programme - Employers
Employers who host a WPEP participant provide a 30-hour a week work experience placement for 6 months. There is no cost to the employer. The participant is paid by the department during their placement.
Working Family Payment (WFP)
The Working Family Payment is a weekly, tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes.
Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant
The Workplace Equipment Adaptation Grant goes towards adapting workplaces for people with a disability who are offered a job, or are changing job, and need a more accessible workplace.
Youth Employment Support Scheme
The Youth Employment Support Scheme was a work experience programme for jobseekers aged 18-24 who were long-term unemployed. There is now a new initiative the Work Placement Experience Programme.
Youth Employment Support Scheme (For Employers)
The Youth Employment Support Scheme was a work experience placement programme targeted at young jobseekers aged 18-24 who were long-term unemployed or faced barriers to employment.
Оплата за надання житла
Щомісячний платіж у розмірі 800 євро доступний для вас, якщо ви надаєте житло особі або людям, які прибули до Ірландії згідно з Директивою ЄС про тимчасовий захист з березня 2022 року
Платеж за признание проживания
Ежемесячный платеж в размере 800 евро доступен вам, если вы предоставляете жилье лицу или людям, прибывшим в Ирландию в соответствии с Директивой ЕС о временной защите с марта 2022 года.

Social Welfare

Services and information

Departments and publications

About gov.ie