HAP Rates by County 2026
Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) rate limits vary by local authority, grouped into three income bands. Choose your council below for its official 2026 monthly rate limits, discretionary uplift, eligibility, and how to apply. All figures are official and verified, see our data sources.
All 31 Local Authorities
Band 1 areas (typically cities and commuter counties) carry the highest HAP rate limits; Band 3 the lowest. The four Dublin authorities share one page. For how the income thresholds work and which band each council falls into, see our HAP income limits by county guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do HAP rates differ by county?
HAP rate limits are set per local authority and grouped into income bands. Band 1 areas (cities and commuter counties) have the highest limits, Band 2 are mid-range, and Band 3 are lower. Each authority’s maximum monthly rates are set in S.I. 56/2017.
What is the discretionary HAP uplift?
On top of the base limit, local authorities can pay a discretionary uplift where market rents require it, up to 35% nationally, including the four Dublin authorities. A separate Homeless HAP scheme in the Dublin region can reach 50%, but only for households formally accepted as homeless (per the Minister for Housing’s written answer of 18-02-2025 and Citizens Information).
Which counties have the highest HAP rates?
Band 1 authorities have the highest limits: these include the Dublin councils, Cork City, Galway City, Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow. Use the directory above to view each authority’s rates.
Check Your HAP Eligibility in Seconds
BenefitCheck Ireland calculates your HAP entitlement, social housing eligibility, and Working Family Payment in one app, for all 31 Irish councils. Free, 100% private (zero data collection), no account.