Families across Ireland could be entitled to a number of social welfare benefits that they are not aware of.

If you’re having a particularly difficult time and have not looked into the benefits in place for Irish families, here are three lesser-known social welfare schemes that could be of help.

One-Parent Family Payment

The One-Parent Family (OFP) Payment is a social welfare payment for anyone who is bringing children up without the support of a partner.

Those who are working full time can still qualify for this payment and the maximum weekly rate is up to €220.

To qualify for the One-Parent Family Payment you must:

• Be aged under 66
• Be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a child under a certain age - see ‘Age limit for a child’ below
• Be the main carer of at least one child under the age limit. The child must live with you. OFP is not paid if the parents have joint equal custody of a child or children
• Pass a means test – a means test looks at any income that you have – see ‘How your income is assessed for the One-Parent
• Family Payment’ below
• Live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition – find out more about exemptions from the habitual residency condition
• Not be living with a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting

You can find out more here.

Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD)

The Back to Work Family Dividend is available to support lone parents and long-term jobseeker families with children in finding or returning to work.

If you qualify for this scheme, you will receive a weekly payment for up to two years with rates ranging from €21 to €200 a week.

Your qualifying amount will depend on how many kids you have and their ages.

The Back to Work Family Dividend is based on the standard Increase for a Qualified Child.

If you were getting a half-rate IQC with your payment you will get an increase to the standard rate BTWFD.

From January 2023, the BTWFD is €42 for a child aged under 12 and €50 for a child aged 12 and over.

It is paid for each child (up to a limit of 4 children) for one year, then in the second year, it is reduced to €21 for a child aged under 12 and €25 for a child aged 12 and over.

For more information on this, click here.

Homemaker's Scheme

The Homemaker's Scheme is in place to make things easier for you as a homemaker to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory) when you reach pension age.

A homemaker, under the scheme, is someone who provides full-time care for a child under 12 or an ill or disabled person over 12.

To qualify, the applicant needs to:

• Be aged under 66
• Have started insurable employment or self-employment on or after the age of 16 and before the age of 56
• Not work full-time but you can work and earn less than €38 gross a week
• Care full-time for a child under 12 or an ill or disabled person

To see the full list of criteria, click here.

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