Information about welfare support and how to access Social Welfare services

Social Welfare Supports:

In order to access social welfare benefits, public services and information in Ireland you will need to obtain a Personal Public Services (PPS) Number.

Further information: Get a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number

Services can be accessed:

• In Person at your local Intreo centre - Intreo centres and local branch locator
• Online at MyWelfare for which you will need a verified MyGovID account to be able to apply for payments. 
• MyGovID is a single account that lets you use services from many government departments in Ireland.
  Having a single account means you only have to sign up once and you only have to remember one password- Create a MyGovID account

Social welfare supports for those in International Protection Accommodation Services

You can get a weekly social welfare payment, called a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA), while you are in International Protection Accommodation Services. To get a DEA, your income must be under a certain amount – see ‘DEA income test’ below.

DEA rates in 2024:

€38.80 for each adult

€29.80 for each child

If IPAS is unable to provide you with accommodation, you will get a temporary increase of €75 in your Daily Expense Allowance (DEA). This means your DEA will increase from €38.80 a week to €113.80 a week.

Further information & how to apply: Daily Expenses Allowance

If you are moved to new IPAS accommodation you can get your DEA payment transferred to your nearest post office. To do so contact the Community Welfare services national phone line on 0818 60 70 80.

Find post office here:  Post Office locator

Other social welfare payments you can avail of include:

Additional Needs Payment which you can apply for an if you have essential needs that you cannot pay for from your weekly payment.

Working family payment which you may qualify for if you have permission to work and are in employment.

Further information: Working Family Payment (WFP)

Social welfare supports for those from Ukraine

Social welfare supports for those in Ukraine have changed in 2024, please see below for changes and how they may affect you.

From 14 March 2024, if you register for temporary protection and State-provided accommodation, you will be accommodated for a maximum of 90 days in a Designated Accommodation Centre.

You will get a weekly payment of €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child. If you have any qualified children, you will also get a monthly Child Benefit payment.

If you are not in State-provided accommodation, you can apply for social welfare payments  in the same way as Irish citizens, as long as you meet the eligibility conditions.

If you registered for temporary protection and State-provided accommodation before 14 March 2024, you could get social welfare payments  in the same way as Irish citizens, as long as you met the eligibility conditions.

From 9 September 2024, if you are living in a Designated Accommodation Centre where meals and utilities are provided, and you arrived in Ireland before 14 March 2024, you no longer qualify for some social welfare payments. You will get the same rate of payment as people who arrived after this date.

This means you will get a weekly payment of €38.80 for an adult and €29.80 for a child, subject to an income test. You will still be entitled to the Working Family Payment and a monthly Child Benefit payment for qualifying children. You can also apply for an Additional Needs Payment.

If you are affected by the changes, you will get a letter from the Department of Social Protection.

Designation of accommodation centres will be effective from September 2024.

You will get a reduced payment from Thursday, 12 September 2024.

If you leave a Designated Accommodation Centre or make your own accommodation arrangements when you arrive in Ireland, you can apply for social welfare payments, if you meet the standard eligibility conditions.

For further information on all state supports available check out MyWelfare.ie