The number of households granted Additional Needs Payments almost doubled last year as the cost of living crisis hit families around the country.
New figures from the Department of Social Protection shows that 97,224 Additional Needs Payments were awarded in 2022, compared to 55,552 in 2021.
It comes as the Society of St Vincent de Paul said it had received the largest number of calls from people seeking support last year since the depths of the economic crash.