Additional Needs Payment to Help with Added Expenses even if Working

Did you know that you can apply for an Additional Needs Payment if you are struggling to pay for certain expenses from your weekely income if you are working, on a low income or getting social welfare payments.

What is the Additional Needs Payment?

The Additional Needs Payment is a payment to help you with an expense that you cannot pay from your weekly income.

You may get an Additional Needs Payment, if you are working and on a low income, or getting a social welfare payment.

When you apply for the payment, your income and circumstances will be assessed to find out if you qualify.

The Additional Needs Payment includes the Exceptional Needs and Urgent Needs payments.

What can I get the Additional Needs Payment for?

You can get the Additional Needs Payment to help you with an expense that you cannot pay from your weekly income. For example:

• 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.

How to qualify for an Additional Needs Payment

To qualify for an Additional Needs Payment, you must:

Live in Ireland and

Have an income below the 'weekly household income' limit which is worked out depending on the size of your household/family.

For example - Weekly Household Income Limits;

• Single person - €350
• Couple with no children - €450
• 1 child - €551
• 2 children - €652
• 3 children- €753
• 4 children - €844
• 5 children - €970
• 6 children - €1,086
• 7 children- €1,222
• 8 children - €1,318

When you apply for an Additional Needs Payments your application will be assessed by a Community Welfare Officer (CWO).

The CWO will look at your circumstances and decide if you qualify for the payment.

In some cases, the CWO can provide a payment if your income is above the weekly household income limit, but it will depend on your circumstances.

How much is an Additional Needs Payment?

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.

Examples

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) has some examples to explain how much they can pay - here's just a few;

Repairing a car - Ivan and Niamh apply for assistance to cover the cost of repairing the car.

They have 2 children. Ivan works 32 hours per week with household income of €630 per week. They have normal weekly outgoings of €610 per week for rent, utility bills, food, credit union loan, miscellaneous car expenses. Their car breaks down and they have received a quote of €1,200 (parts and labour) to repair it. The car is required for transport to and from work and taking children to and from school.

The couple have applied to the credit union for a top up loan which has been refused. The couple have €250 in savings and an outstanding loan of €2,100 with the credit union.

Income and expenses - Amount

Household income €630 per week

Household outgoings €610 per week

Disposable income €20 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer assists the couple with an Additional Needs Payment of €1,200.

Repairing a boiler - Sean applies for assistance to cover the cost of repairing the boiler.

Sean is a single parent with 3 school going children who works 30 hours per week in a local Supermarket. He has household income of €700 per week. The family's normal weekly outgoings are €650 per week for utility bills, loan repayments, food, miscellaneous car expenses and shopping.

The boiler in their house has broken down and they have been quoted €1,500 to replace the necessary parts and labour. Sean has savings of €250, which he intended to use for a refill of oil.

Income and expenses - Amount

Household income €700 per week

Household outgoings €650 per week

Disposable income €50 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer awards an Additional Needs Payment of €1,450.

Electricity bills - Roman applies for assistance in meeting an increase in electricity bills.

Roman is a person with Multiple Sclerosis getting Disability Allowance and he is having difficulty meeting his electricity bills following recent unit cost increases. The monthly energy costs have risen by €40. He is unable to reduce the energy usage due to his medical condition and he does not have any disposable income to cover it.

Income and expenses - Amount

Household income €208 per week

Household outgoings €208 per week

Disposable income €0 per week

Decision: In the circumstances, the Community Welfare Officer awards a Heating Supplement at €40 per month. In the event that the energy costs increase further, the Officer can increase the Heating Supplement payment to reflect same.

Filling an oil tank - Siobhan applies for assistance to fill the oil tank at a cost of €700.

Siobhan is a single parent with 4 children and has noticed an increase in the cost of everyday items including food and utility bills. Their household income is €368 per week. Her weekly outgoings are €350 - €368 per week. Previously, she had managed to put some money aside (€20 per week) towards a fill of heating oil but this has not been possible for many weeks.

The oil tank is empty and she cannot afford to get it filled. One of her children has a condition that requires the house to be heated permanently.

Income and expenses - Amount

Household income €368 per week

Household outgoings €368 per week

Disposable income €0 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer awards an Additional Needs Payment of €700 to cover the cost of the oil refill. As the child’s medical condition requires the house to be heated permanently, the Officer also provides Siobhan with heat supplement of €30 per week to assist in meeting the ongoing cost associated with it.

How to apply for an Additional Needs Payment

You can post your application for an Additional Needs Payment or make an appointment with your local CWO, if you prefer.

If you post your application, the CWO may issue a payment or arrange an appointment to meet with you.

How to get an Application Form

You can download and fill-in the application form for an Additional Needs Payment (SWA1) and send it to your local Community Welfare Service.

You can also get an application form at your local Community Welfare Service and fill it in there.

Email cwsforms@welfare.ie and get a from posted to you.

For general information about the Community Welfare Service and application forms phone: 0818 60 70 80

What you Need to Provide when you Apply

You will need some of the following to apply:

• PPS number for you and people in your family that are dependent on you such as your partner or children
• Proof of your identity such as Public Services Card, Driving Licence or Passport
• Proof of address such as a household bill
• Proof of residency such as an Irish Residence Permit (IRP) or EU/EEA passport or national ID card
• Proof of income and financial situation such as payslips and bank statements

For general information about the Community Welfare Service phone: 0818 60 70 80

There are also additional supports, tax and social welfare measures to help employees with low income households;

Working Family Payment

Working Family Payment (formerly known as Family Income Supplement (FIS)) is a weekly tax-free payment that gives help to those on low pay. It is available to employees with children.

Getting social welfare payments

In certain circumstances, you are allowed to keep social welfare payments (or at least part of them) when you start work. For example:

If you work part-time up to 3 days per week you may be entitled to retain part of your Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Allowance. If you are getting One-Parent Family Payment you are allowed to earn a certain amount each week and keep your payment. If you are getting a means-tested disability payment, such as Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, you may earn a certain amount from work without it affecting your payment. If you are getting Illness Benefit (for at least 6 months) or Invalidity Pension you can apply for Partial Capacity Benefit and keep part of your payment, depending on how restricted your capacity for work is.

Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

Under the Back to Enterprise Work Allowance, you can become self-employed and keep a certain amount of your social welfare payment.

Retaining Rent Supplement

If you have been unemployed or not in full-time employment for at least 12 months and are assessed as in need of housing under the Rental Accommodation Scheme you may be entitled to retain your Rent Supplement.

Retaining Medical Card

If you are unemployed and you are returning to full-time or part-time work, you can keep your medical card for 3 years provided you have been getting one of the following for 12 months or more:

Jobseeker's Benefit

Jobseeker's Allowance

One-Parent Family Payment

Illness Benefit

Disability Allowance

Blind Pension or

Have been on an employment incentive scheme or educational opportunity scheme

If you take up full-time employment you will retain your medical card for 3 years from the date you start work. If you take up part-time employment the three-year period starts from the date your income exceeds the relevant medical card guideline.

Tax and PRSI

If you are on low pay you may not be liable to pay any tax because your tax credits and reliefs are more than or equal to the amount of tax you are due to pay. People with an income below €13,000 do not pay the Universal Social Charge (USC).

People aged 65 and over are subject to the same general tax rules as everyone else but they do get tax exemption limits below which they pay no tax and some extra tax credits. Revenue's information leaflet Tax Exemption and Marginal Relief (IT 8) (pdf) gives information on available exemption limits and tax relief.

If you have overpaid income tax or Universal Social Charge, then you can claim a tax refund. Further information about tax is also available from Revenue.

If you earn between €38 and €352 you do not have to pay PRSI.

Source: Citizens Information

and also HERE