Work out your Housing Assistance Payment limit, weekly differential rent, and any tenant top-up. Covers all 31 Irish local authorities.
HAP is the long-term social housing support that pays your landlord directly. You then pay a weekly differential rent to your council based on your income. If the actual rent exceeds the HAP limit, you cover the difference as a top-up. This calculator handles all three numbers in under two minutes.
Get a complete HAP payment breakdown in under two minutes.
Select your local authority and household type to see your HAP rent limit.
Add weekly income for the principal earner and any subsidiary earners or dependants.
Enter the monthly rent and apply 35% discretion or Homeless HAP flexibility if eligible.
View HAP paid to landlord, your differential rent to the council, and any top-up you owe.
Select your area, enter your income and property details, and get an instant breakdown.
Your HAP rent limit depends on your local authority area and household composition.
Your income determines the weekly differential rent you pay to the local authority.
Your total weekly income from all sources (employment, social welfare, pensions)
Some councils apply reduced rates or allowances for pensioners.
Enter the monthly rent for the property you are renting or plan to rent.
The total monthly rent the landlord is charging for the property
Local authorities can increase the HAP limit by up to 35% where it is difficult to find accommodation within the standard limit.
Available in Dublin region only. For those presenting as homeless, the HAP limit can be increased by up to 50%.
Your Total Monthly Housing Cost
EUR 0
Tenant also pays EUR 0/mo directly to landlord as top-up (rent exceeds effective HAP limit)
Limits below show indicative monthly maximums for a couple with one child. Use the calculator above for the full breakdown by household size.
Dublin City, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, and South Dublin share the highest HAP limits in Ireland. A couple with one child can receive up to EUR 1,250 per month, rising to EUR 1,300 for three or more children. Dublin is the only region eligible for Homeless HAP with 50% flexibility, pushing the effective limit to roughly EUR 1,875 per month.
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.
Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Roscommon, and Sligo. A couple with one child typically qualifies for EUR 400-550 per month. The 35% flexibility provides essential headroom in towns where market rents have risen faster than 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.
Everything you need to know about HAP, your rent limits, and your weekly contribution.
HAP is the long-term social housing support that replaced Rent Supplement for new applicants. Your local authority pays the landlord directly each month up to a published rent limit. You pay a weekly differential rent to the council based on your income, just like a council tenant. If the actual rent exceeds the HAP limit (plus any flexibility), you pay the difference to the landlord as a top-up.
Your differential rent is calculated by your local authority's own scheme. Every council uses a different formula. Each scheme has a rate (typically 10% to 22.5%), an income disregard, child deductions, and a minimum rent. Use our Differential Rent Calculator for a council-by-council breakdown.
Local authorities can increase the standard HAP rent limit by up to 35% on a case-by-case basis where the household cannot find suitable accommodation within the standard limit. The Dublin region (and a small number of other LAs) can increase by up to 50% for households presenting as homeless under Homeless HAP.
If the actual monthly rent on a property exceeds the effective HAP limit (standard limit plus any 35% or 50% flexibility applied), the tenant pays the difference directly to the landlord as a top-up. This is in addition to the weekly differential rent paid to the local authority. Top-ups are common in high-demand areas where market rents outpace HAP limits.
No. Under the Equal Status Acts 2000-2018, a landlord cannot discriminate against a prospective tenant on the basis that they are in receipt of HAP, Rent Supplement, or any other social welfare payment. This is the "housing assistance ground" added in 2015. Refusing a tenant solely because they receive HAP is illegal and can be challenged through the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
When you accept HAP, you are considered to have your housing need met and are removed from the main social housing waiting list. You can apply for a transfer to council or AHB housing through the transfer list. Your accumulated waiting time may carry over depending on your council's transfer policy. Confirm the local rules with your housing department before accepting HAP.
You must notify your local authority of any change in income. Your weekly differential rent (the amount you pay the council) will be recalculated. The HAP payment to the landlord is unchanged. Only your tenant contribution moves.
This calculator uses the published HAP rent limits under the Housing Assistance Payment (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (S.I. No. 56 of 2017) and current differential rent schemes for each local authority. It is for guidance only. Actual entitlements are determined by your local authority. Confirm your final figures with your housing department.
Rentalize automates HAP application processing, landlord payments, property inspections, differential rent reconciliation, and reporting for Irish local authorities and AHBs managing 54,000+ HAP tenancies.
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