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EAP Noticeboard
One-Parent Family Payment
One-Parent Family Payment is a payment, for men and women
who are bringing up a child
without the support of a partner.
It is paid by the Department of
Social and Family Affairs.
You are eligible to apply for this
payment if:
- you are unmarried, widowed, a prisoner's spouse, separated or divorced, or
- your marriage has been annulled and you are no longer living with your spouse
- are the main carer of at least one child and that child is living with you
- are not cohabiting – i.e. living with someone as husband and wife
- have earnings of €400.00 or less per week
- satisfy a means test
- are resident in the state
Your payment is made up of a rate for yourself and extra amounts for any dependent child. Currently the maximum weekly rate of payment is €185.50 plus €22.00 for each eligible child.
The amount you receive depends on your weekly means. If you are getting One-Parent Family Payment, you can earn up to €146.50 per week and still qualify for full payment. If you earn between €146.50 and €400.00, you may qualify for a reduced payment.
What counts as means?
The main items that count as
means are:
- income from employment or self-employment
- maintenance payments, including maintenance paid to or for a dependent child
- the value of any property you have other than your own home
- the value of any investments or savings you may have
- cash income
- your own home
- Supplementary Welfare
- Allowance or Rent or Mortgage
- Interest Supplement
- Family Income Supplement
- Child Benefit
- Illness Benefit
- Jobseekers Benefit
- Your contributions to a PRSA
How are earnings from
employment or selfemployment
assessed?
If you are working, earnings from
employment or self-employment
are assessed as follows:
The first €146.50 of weekly
earnings is completely
disregarded. Half the remainder
of your earnings up to €400.00
per week is assessed as means.
EXAMPLE:
You are a lone parent under the
age of 66, with one dependent
child and weekly earnings of
€200.00, but no other income.
Gross weekly earnings €200.00
Minus weekly disregard - €146.50
Remainder of earnings = €53.50
Divided by 2 =
weekly means €26.75
In this example you would get a
One-Parent Family Payment of
€187.8 per week.
How long does the payment last?
One-Parent Family Payment is
payable for as long as you satisfy
the qualifying conditions.
