If you rent with HAP and you work in a low-paid job, there is a good chance you qualify for a second payment that many people never claim: the Working Family Payment.
You can receive HAP and the Working Family Payment (WFP) at the same time. They are two separate supports that do two different jobs.
Two different supports
HAP helps with your rent. Your council pays your landlord directly, and you pay a weekly rent contribution to the council based on your income (Citizens Information).
WFP is a weekly, tax-free top-up for working parents on low pay (Citizens Information).
Because they cover different things, getting one does not stop you getting the other.
Why so many working parents miss it
The reason is HAP’s most useful feature: you can work full-time and keep HAP (Citizens Information).
That was not true of the old Rent Supplement, which you generally cannot get if you work 30 hours a week or more (Citizens Information). Many people who transferred from Rent Supplement to HAP do not realise that, once on HAP, full-time work is fine, and that working parents on HAP can also claim WFP.
Do you qualify for WFP?
To get WFP you need to meet all of these:
- You have at least one child who normally lives with you.
- You work at least 38 hours per fortnight (19 hours a week). You can combine your hours with your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant (Citizens Information).
- You are an employee paying tax and PRSI in Ireland. You cannot qualify on self-employment alone.
- Your family income is below the limit for your family size.
The 2026 income limits
From 1 January 2026, the weekly family income limits are:
- 1 child: €765
- 2 children: €866
- 3 children: €967
- 4 children: €1,058
- 5 children: €1,184
- 6 children: €1,300
- 7 children: €1,436
- 8 or more children: €1,532
(Source: Citizens Information, Budget 2026.)
If your income is under the limit for your family size, your WFP is 60% of the difference between your average weekly family income and that limit, with a minimum payment of €20 a week (Citizens Information).
Does HAP reduce your WFP?
No. HAP is paid to your landlord, so it is not money in your hand and it is not counted as part of the family income used to work out WFP. The WFP calculation is based on your income from work, along with certain other income such as social welfare payments, occupational pensions and maintenance (Citizens Information).
A 2026 bonus
There is an extra reason to claim WFP this year. From January 2026, people getting WFP also qualify for the Fuel Allowance, paid automatically during the fuel season (Citizens Information, Budget 2026).
Check both at once
Working out HAP and WFP separately is confusing, which is part of why the WFP goes unclaimed. BenefitCheck checks your HAP rate and your WFP eligibility together, so you can see the full picture in one place.
Sources: Citizens Information: Working Family Payment · Citizens Information: Housing Assistance Payment · Citizens Information: Rent Supplement · Citizens Information: Budget 2026.