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Learn more →Ireland · Social housing eligibility
Social Housing Income Checker
Work out the net income limit that applies to your household, and whether you come in under it. Free, nothing stored, no sign up.
Limits €40,000 / €35,000 / €30,000
Plus 5% per extra adult
Plus 2.5% per child
The short answer. To go on a local authority housing list in Ireland your household’s net income must be under a maximum limit. The basic limit for a single person is €40,000, €35,000 or €30,000 depending on which local authority area you live in. Those figures have applied since 1 January 2023, when every limit rose by €5,000.
The limit then rises with your household. You add 5% of the basic limit for each additional adult, capped at 10% or two additional adults, and 2.5% of the basic limit for each child. The assessment uses your household’s average net income over the previous 12 months, which is income after tax, PRSI and USC, not gross pay.
Most people who think they are over the line have used their gross salary, or forgotten to add the uplift for their children. Both mistakes push you the wrong way.
Check your household limit
Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
The €30,000 limit applies in Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Tipperary. Elsewhere, check your council’s income limits page, because the band is set per authority and we will not guess it for you.
Not counting you.
Per year, after tax.
Result
How the limit was worked out
What to do next
How the household uplift works
The basic limit is for one person living alone. Every extra person in the household raises it, but adults and children are treated differently, and only the adult uplift is capped.
| Household member | Uplift | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Each additional adult | 5% of the basic limit | 10%, which is two additional adults |
| Each child | 2.5% of the basic limit | No cap is stated in the published rules |
On a €35,000 basic limit, a couple with two children reaches €35,000 plus 5% plus 5%, which is €38,500. A single parent with three children reaches €35,000 plus 7.5%, which is €37,625. The percentages always apply to the basic limit, never compounded on each other.
Income is net, and averaged
Your local authority assesses the household’s average net income over the previous 12 months, so a single good month does not disqualify you and a single bad one does not qualify you. Net means after income tax, PRSI and USC. Child Benefit and most social welfare payments are treated differently from wages, so if your income is close to the line, ask the housing section rather than assuming.
Common questions
What is the income limit for social housing in Ireland?
For a single person it is €40,000, €35,000 or €30,000 net per year depending on the local authority area, unchanged since 1 January 2023 when every limit rose by €5,000. Larger households get more: 5% of the basic limit for each additional adult up to a maximum of 10%, and 2.5% for each child.
Is the limit based on gross or net income?
Net. It is your household’s average net income over the previous 12 months, after income tax, PRSI and USC. This is the single most common reason people wrongly assume they are over the limit, because a gross salary of €40,000 is well under €30,000 net in many cases.
Which councils use the €30,000 limit?
Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Tipperary. The other bands are set per authority, so check your own council’s income limits page rather than assuming a neighbouring county matches.
Does being under the limit mean I get housed?
No. Income is one of several tests. You also need a housing need, a local connection to the area, and you must not own a property suitable for your needs. Passing the income test qualifies you to apply and be assessed, not to be allocated a home, and waiting times depend on your band and the area.
If I qualify, how much rent would I pay?
Social housing rent is differential rent, calculated from your household income rather than the market, and every local authority runs a different scheme. Our differential rent calculator works out the weekly figure for all 31 councils. If you are renting privately in the meantime, the HAP calculator shows the support available.
Sources: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, New income eligibility limits for social housing take effect (three basic limits and the €5,000 uplift from 1 January 2023), and Leitrim County Council, Income Limits (the €30,000 band and the household uplift rules). This page is guidance, not a decision. Only your local authority can assess your application.