The Living Alone Increase is an extra payment for people on social welfare payments who are living alone.
If you are 66 years or over and live alone, you will qualify if you are getting one of the following payments:
You will also qualify if you are under 66, live alone and are getting:
To get the increase in your payment you must live completely alone. However, there are some exceptions:
- if you are living in an extension of a family member's home, for example, in a granny flat, you can qualify for the increase if you can show that you have facilities to cook and eat alone. You must also have your own living/dining and sleeping accommodation
- you may also qualify as living alone if you are aged or infirm and have a friend or relative to stay for security reasons at night-time only. The friend or relative must not contribute to the household financially
- the increase may also be payable if you live alone during the day but stay with relatives or friends at night or if you live alone during the week but have a relative to stay at the weekend (the living alone condition is satisfied as long as the relative has a permanent home address elsewhere)
- you will also qualify if you live alone but occasionally take in paying guests (for example, during a local festival). However, if you run a bed and breakfast business (even for part of the year) you will not qualify
- people who live in sheltered accommodation may qualify if they are regarded as living independently within the institution. The department provides a list of hostels and homes where a living alone increase is payable. You will not qualify if you share dormitory accommodation with others, or have round-the clock supervision or nursing care
- people who live in nursing homes will not qualify as they cannot be regarded as living completely or mainly alone
The rate of payment is €22.00 per week from 7 January 2022.
To apply, fill in the Living Alone Increase application form below.
Send the completed form to the section of the department that pays your main pension or benefit.
Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.
