The Department of Social Protection is a department of the Government of Ireland, tasked with administering Ireland’s social welfare system. It oversees the provision of income support and other social services. It is led by the Minister for Social Protection who is assisted by two Ministers of State.
| Enhanced Illness Benefit for COVID-19 Illness Benefit for COVID-19 absences extended until 31 March 2024 | Budget 2024 €25.1 billion to be spent on Social Welfare in 2024. | Intreo A guide to Intreo – a single point of contact for all employment and income supports. |
How do I contact social welfare?
You can get information about applying for social welfare payments through MyWelfare.ie. You can also call 1890 800 024.
How social welfare payments are paid
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, you can use your expired Public Services Card for ID to collect your social welfare payment.
If you are unable to collect your payment from the post office due to illness or self-isolation, you can:
- Leave your social welfare payment at the post office until you can collect it yourself. Your payment will be in the post office for at least 20 days after you were first due to collect it. Some payments such as the State pension and payments to carers will be available in the post office for 90 days.
- Nominate a temporary Agent to collect your payment. You can get a form for appointing a temporary Agent at your local post office. You can also get a form for appointing a temporary Agent on the An Post website (pdf).
- Apply to transfer your payment to your financial institution using form DIR PMT1. Your social welfare payment can be paid directly into your personal account at a bank, building society or at certain credit unions. The DSP will decide if you can be paid by into a financial institution.
Social welfare payments paid every 2 weeks
In March 2024, many social welfare payments changed from being paid every week to every 2 weeks. In August 2024, most working age income supports such as jobseeker’s payments and the One-Parent Family Payment returned to being paid weekly.
From 2 November 2024, social welfare payments that are being paid every 2 weeks, for example, State pensions and payments to carers will return to weekly payments. This applies both to payments collected at post offices and those paid into a bank account.
If your payment is paid every 2 weeks, it will not affect the amount you get but it will reduce the need for you to leave home to collect your payment.