Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme

The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme offers a safety net within the overall social welfare system by providing assistance to people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.

The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance to those in need.

There are several payments within the scheme and more information is provided below.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance is administered by the Community Welfare Service of the department.

Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance is a weekly payment to people who do not have enough means to meet their needs and those of their qualified adult or any qualified children. It may be paid to people who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or to those who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Rent Supplement is a means-tested payment for certain people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources.

An Additional Needs Payment is a once-off payment available to you if you have expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income.

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Supplements are paid weekly or monthly to help meet ongoing necessary costs which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

These payments are awarded at the discretion of the Community Welfare Service officer after a consideration of all the relevant circumstances of the case.

Examples of payments made under this scheme include:

• A heat supplement may paid where a person has exceptional essential heating costs due to ill-health or infirmity.
• A travel supplement may be paid where there is a recurring travel expense, for example where a person has ongoing travel costs for hospital visits.
• A diet supplement may be paid to help with the cost of a special diet prescribed by your doctor or hospital consultant. (This is now closed for new applicants.)

Find out more about how to access Community Welfare and apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance including Additional Needs Payments.