Supplementary Welfare Allowance
A basic weekly safety-net payment for people with little or no income — including while you wait for another social welfare claim to be processed.
- Type
- Means-tested
- Paid
- Every week
- Taxable
- No
- Administered by
- Department of Social Protection
How much is Supplementary Welfare Allowance?
€252/week
Aged 25 and over
| Aged 18–24 and living independently You must be getting a state housing support such as HAP or Rent Supplement. | €252/week |
|---|---|
| Aged 18–24 and not living independently | €163.70/week |
Increases you may also get
| Increase for an adult dependant | €168.60/week |
|---|---|
| Child Support Payment — child under 12 | €58/week |
| Child Support Payment — child 12 or over | €78/week |
People aged 18–24 with children qualify for the maximum personal rate of €252.
Who can get Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- You must be habitually resident in Ireland and pass the means test.
- You must have applied for any other social welfare payment you might be entitled to.
- You must not be in full-time work (more than 30 hours a week) or full-time education.
The Supplementary Welfare Allowance means test
Means-tested on the least generous of the three capital scales — only the first €5,000 of savings is disregarded.
How your savings are assessed
Supplementary Welfare Allowance only. The least generous of the three — only the first €5,000 is disregarded.
| Capital | Weekly means assessed |
|---|---|
| First €5,000 | Nil |
| Next €10,000 | €1 per €1,000 |
| Next €25,000 | €2 per €1,000 |
| Balance | €4 per €1,000 |
Capital means your savings, investments, stocks, shares and any property other than your own home. Your own home is never assessed. Capital belonging to a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is included.
Things people get caught by
- This is the payment to claim while waiting for a decision on another claim — it stops when the main payment is awarded and is usually offset against arrears.
What else you might get
Payments interact. These are the ones that commonly go with Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
- Additional Needs Payment
A separate one-off payment for exceptional costs.
- Rent Supplement
Short-term help with rent.