What is the Additional Needs Payment
The Additional Needs Payment is a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment that you may apply for if you have essential expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income or other sources (e.g maintenance or savings).
Additional Needs Payment
The Additional Needs Payment can help you with an expense that you cannot pay from your weekly income. The amount that you can get depends on your circumstances and the type of help you need. You can get the Additional Needs Payment for:
- An increase in your fuel or electricity costs
- Essential repairs to property, including motor vehicles and replacing household appliances and furniture
- Funeral costs
- Deposits for private rented accommodation
- Bedding and cooking utensils, if you are setting up home for the first time
- Food, clothing and shelter after an emergency event such as a fire or flood
- Recurring travel costs to hospital
- Visiting a relative in hospital or prison
This is not a complete list, other expenses can be covered too.
Who can get this payment?
Anyone on a social welfare payment or working and getting a low income may qualify for an Additional Needs Payment regardless of the number of hours that you work.
To apply, you will need to provide information relating to your weekly household income, expenses, savings and investments and those of everyone residing in your household. You will also be required to provide evidence of the type of assistance you need and may be asked for relevant documents such as payslips, bank statements, utility bills and repair / maintenance quotes.
There is no set ‘rate of payment’ for the Additional Needs Payment. The payment you get will depend on your weekly household income and the type of assistance you need.
Weekly household income guidelines:
- Single (no children) – weekly income €390
- Couple (no children) – weekly income €490
- 1 child – weekly income €591
- 2 children – weekly income €692
- 3 children – weekly income €793
- Further information on income guidelines for larger households is available on gov.ie.