SWA Eligibility

Who is eligible for a payment?

Any person resident in the state whose means do not meet her/his needs, and the needs of any child dependant or qualified adult, is entitled to apply for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment.

To get a payment they must:

• satisfy a means test; and

• satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC); and

• have applied for all possible benefits or assistance from either the Department of Social Protection (DSP) or other appropriate state agency; and

• have provided all information or documentation reasonably requested by the DSP, where such request pertains to material you could reasonably be expected to provide where it is relevant and appropriate to the processing or administration of your application; and

• have registered with DSP/Intreo if they are of working age; and

• have positively engaged with the DSP / Intreo in pursuing any training, education, work experience or activation measures as recommended by an official of the DSP / Intreo; and

• satisfy the Department of Social Protection that they need the particular payment

What Can Make People Ineligible?

The following groups are not normally entitled to a basic weekly (SWA) payment:

• full-time students

• full-time workers

• people involved in trade disputes – but they may claim supplementary welfare allowance for their dependents

• people who do not satisfy the habitual residence condition (hrc).

• people in prison.

• persons receiving ‘penalty’ rates of jobseekers’ payments, even where a decision is the subject of a review with the DSP or a formal appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO)

If you are excluded from applying for a basic weekly SWA payment based on the list above, you may still apply for an Additional Needs Payment (ANP), where the need is exceptional or urgent. The person making the application must provide sufficient information or proof to support their claim that the situation is exceptional or urgent.

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