Social Welfare Services



The responsible body for welfare payments in Ireland is the Department of Social Protection. The Health Services Executive also has responsibility for the administration of some payments such as rent or mortgage interest supplements.

Eligibility for different payments will depend on factors such as residency status, means and whether or not a habitual residence condition has been met. The Department of Social Protection website has relevant information and useful links for persons coming to Ireland or returning to Ireland from other countries. To find out more, go to this page.

The Department of Social Protection has published a comprehensive booklet called A Guide to Social Welfare Services, which provides information on all social welfare services. In 2006, the guide was translated into English, Irish, Arabic, Chinese, French, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian and Spanish. The 2008 Guide is available in English, Irish and Polish. Your Social Security Rights in Ireland - A Guide for EU Citizens which has information on social welfare payments available in Ireland has also been published in English, Irish, French, German, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish and Spanish.

Detailed information, including the qualifying conditions for all schemes and application forms are available on the Department of Social Protection website www.welfare.ie. You can also get information on social welfare schemes by calling to your local Social Welfare Office. Click here for a list of local Social Welfare Local Offices. To contact the information section of the Department of Social Protection, telephone: 1890 66 22 44 (open Monday to Friday, 9:00a.m to 5:00pm)

In general, payments are divided into three types:

Contributory payments are based on a person’s Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI) record. Therefore, whether you qualify for a payment depends on you having a certain number of PRSI contributions.
Examples of contributory payments include:
· Jobseeker’s Benefit
· Illness Benefit

    Non-Contributory payments are related to your means.
    Examples of non-contributory payments include:
    · Jobseeker’s Allowance
    · Disability Allowance
    · Family Income Supplement
    · Carer’s Allowance

    Other types of payments and benefits do not depend on PRSI contributions or means.
    Examples include:
    · Child Benefit
    · Free Travel Pass for persons aged 66 and over


    Health Service Executive (HSE) Payments

         Some payments are administered by the
    Health Services Executive (HSE) through Community Welfare Officers, who are based in local health centres.

    The types of payments made under this scheme include:

    • Weekly Supplementary Welfare Allowance,
    • Rent and Mortgage Interest Supplement,
    • Special Needs Supplements such as dietary needs due to a medical condition,
    • Back to School Clothing and Footwear Scheme and
    • Exceptional needs payments.

    To find out more about these schemes, visit the page of the Department of Social Protection website dealing with supplementary welfare allowances.

    Your local health centre will inform you what schemes you can apply for and provide you with the necessary application forms.

    Further information: For additional information on the Social Welfare system in Ireland and the different types of payments, call into your local Citizen's Information Centre or visit the Citizens Information website.



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