Ireland HAP Calculator 2026

You qualify for HAP if you meet all four of these conditions. First, you are already approved for social housing support by your local authority, which means your net household income is under your council's threshold: EUR 40,000 for a single person in Band 1 areas, EUR 35,000 in Band 2, EUR 30,000 in Band 3.

Second, you have found (or already live in) private rented accommodation. Third, the tenancy is registered with the RTB and the landlord is tax compliant. Fourth, the property is suitable for your household size and meets minimum standards. You do not need to be homeless to qualify, and you keep your place on the social housing transfer list after moving onto HAP.

The household rents a property in Tralee at EUR 700 per month. Assessable net income is EUR 380 per week.

Step 1, the limit. Kerry County Council's HAP limit for one adult or a couple with one child is EUR 525 per month. With the maximum 35% discretion applied, the council could pay up to EUR 708.75.

Step 2, the differential rent. Kerry applies its differential rent scheme to the EUR 380 weekly income. The tenant pays that weekly amount to the council, not to the landlord.

Step 3, the top-up. At the standard EUR 525 limit the tenant would owe EUR 175 per month directly to the landlord. If the council grants discretion up to EUR 700, the top-up falls to zero.

Homeless HAP is an enhanced version of the scheme for households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. In the four Dublin local authorities it is administered through the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, and it carries a discretionary uplift of up to 50% above the standard limit rather than the 35% available elsewhere.

Outside Dublin there is no separately branded Homeless HAP scheme. Councils instead grant enhanced discretion on a case by case basis to households in emergency accommodation or holding a valid notice of termination. Practice varies by council, so confirm the position with your own local authority.

The Place Finder service helps homeless households actually secure a tenancy once they qualify. It can pay a deposit and up to two months' rent in advance directly to a landlord, which removes the single biggest barrier for households leaving emergency accommodation.

Place Finder is available in the Dublin region and in a number of other local authority areas. Eligibility is tied to being in emergency accommodation or assessed as homeless by the council, so it is accessed through your local authority's homeless services team rather than through a standard HAP application.

Rules for Homeless HAP and Place Finder are set locally and change more often than the statutory rent limits. Always confirm current terms with your council.

Cork City, Cork County, Galway City, Galway County, and Limerick. A couple with one child receives up to EUR 900 per month in Cork, with Galway slightly lower at EUR 850 per month. The standard 35% discretion can push the effective limit to roughly EUR 1,215 in Cork or EUR 1,150 in Galway where stock is constrained.

Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow operate at HAP limits between Dublin and rural rates. A couple with one child receives EUR 975 per month in Kildare and Meath, and up to EUR 1,150 in Wicklow. The 35% flexibility is widely applied here as Dublin commuter demand keeps private rents above HAP limits.

Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford share moderate HAP limits. A couple with one child receives EUR 525-630 per month. These counties have seen significant HAP uptake since the scheme expanded nationally between 2014 and 2017.

Laois, Offaly, and Westmeath operate at the lower end of HAP limits, with a couple plus one child receiving EUR 550-600 per month. Local authority discretion is frequently used in larger towns like Athlone, Tullamore, and Portlaoise.