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29th January 2025
12:07pm GMT
The cost of living crisis continues to affect thousands nationwide, and some families are struggling to make ends meet.
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 schemes that could be of help.
The One-Parent Family (OFP) Payment is a 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:
You can find out more here.
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.
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:
To see the full list of criteria, click here.
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