Irish households continue to face financial pressure as the cost of living crisis drags on.
However there are social welfare payments available to help ease the burden - and some that you may never heard of. While everyone is well aware of the likes of child benefit, rent allowance and fuel allowance, there are other little-known additional payments that could make a difference to your weekly finances if you are eligible.
Here are the top five welfare benefits that many people don't know exist.
Living Alone Increase
The Living Alone increase is a payment for those on social welfare who are also living alone. The current weekly rate is €22.
If you are 66 years or over and live alone, you will qualify if you are getting one of the following payments: State Pension (contributory/non-contributory), incapacity benefit, deserted wife's benefit, widows, widowers or civil partners payment.
The full list can be found here.
Read more: Social welfare Ireland: How to apply for bonus €100 cost of living payment due in weeks
Additional Needs Payment
The Additional Needs Payment is a one-off payment to help pay for items that the applicant could not be expected to reasonably afford out of his or her weekly income. This includes "bedding or cooking utensils for someone setting up a home for the first time, visiting relatives in hospital or prison, funeral costs or for clothing in exceptional circumstances."
The payment can also help with electricity and heating bills while working from home.
There is no set rate for an Additional Needs Payment. The amount you get will depend on your circumstances and what you need help with.
You may be eligible for an Exceptional Needs Payment if:
- you are living in the State
- you satisfy a means test (all capital/property, except your home, is assessed in the means test)
You can find out more about the payment here.
Homemakers Scheme
The Homemaker's Scheme makes it easier for a homemaker to qualify for the higher state pension when the applicant reaches pension age. A homemaker is categorised as a man or woman who provides full-time care for either a child under 12 or an ill or disabled person aged 12 or over.
To qualify, the applicant needs to:
- be aged under 66
- have started insurable employment or self-employment on or after the age of 16 and before the age of 56
- not work full-time but you can work and earn less than €38 gross a week
- care full-time for a child under 12 or an ill or disabled person
A full list of criteria can be found here.
Deserted Wife's Benefit (now called One-Parent Family Payment)
Up until 1997 women who were left by their husband could claim Deserted Wife's Benefit. While payment no longer takes applications, you can now apply for One-Parent Family Payment instead.
The One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a payment for men and women under 66 who are bringing children up without the support of a partner. Those who are working full time can still qualify for this payment.
To qualify for the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) you must:
- Be aged under 66
- Be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a child under a certain age - see ‘Age limit for a child’ below
- Be the main carer of at least one child under the age limit. The child must live with you. OFP is not paid if the parents have joint equal custody of a child or children.
- Pass a means test – a means test looks at any income that you have – see ‘How your income is assessed for the One-Parent Family Payment’ below
- Live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition – find out more about exemptions from the habitual residency condition.
- Not be living with a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting
You can find out more here.
Back to Work Family Dividend
The Back to Work Family Dividend is available to support those moving from social welfare into employment. If you qualify for the scheme, you will receive a weekly payment for up to two years.
You will be paid the equivalent of any Increase for Qualified Children that were being paid on your jobseeker or one-parent family payment, up to a maximum of four children, for the first year in employment.
The Back to Work Family Dividend can be paid with the Working Family Payment and some other non-primary social welfare payments. You may be eligible for the Back to Work Family Dividend if you have at least one qualified child and get any of the following:
- Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Benefit
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
From January 2023, the full BTWFD is €42 for a child aged under 12 and €50 for a child aged 12 and over. It is paid for each child (up to a limit of 4 children) for one year. In the second year, it is reduced to €21 for a child aged under 12 and €25 for a child aged 12 and over.
To qualify, you and all members of your family must sign off all primary social welfare payments.
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