The cost of living in Ireland is constantly on the rise with the price of running a home and a car reaching new heights.
With families trying to meet their monthly bills, there are a number of social welfare payments that people who are in employment are eligible for.
So if you’re feeling the pinch with the level of inflation, here are the available payments that those who are working are entitled to.
Working Family Payment
The Working Family Payment is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with children.
It aims to support people on low pay and will increase by €10 across all family sizes in June 2022.
You must be an employee, and you cannot get it if you are self-employed only.
In order to be eligible you must also have at least one child who normally lives with you or who you support financially and your child must be under 18 or between 18 and 22 if they are in full-time day education.
You will need to have an average weekly family income under a certain amount for the size of their family.
The payment will equal 60% of the difference between your average weekly family income and the WFP income limit for your family size.
There are a number of conditions that must be met by those looking to avail of it including holding a job for more than three months and having at least one child who lives with you.
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance helps families afford the necessities for all kids going to school.
From June 2022, the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance will be €160 for a child aged 4-11, and €285 for children aged 12 and over.
The allowance is closed right now for applicants, but it will reopen once again from June 2022 to September 30, 2022.
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 2 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 4 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
To qualify, you and all members of your family must sign off all primary social welfare payments.
Fuel Allowance
The Fuel Allowance payment was brought in to help with the cost of heating your home during winter months.
It is available to those on a long-term social welfare payment who cannot provide for heating needs out of their own resources.
Only one person can receive the payment per household, and is generally still allowed with other social welfare payments.
Rent Supplement
Rent Supplement is a means-tested payment for certain people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources.
It is a short-term income support for people in the private rented sector.
