Family Income Supplement (FIS)
- Are you working 19 hours or more a week or 38 hours or more a fortnight?
- Is your employment likely to last 3 months or more?
- Are you looking after one or more children aged under 18 or between 18 and 22 and in full time education?
- Are you earning less than the income limits for the family size?
You may be eligible to apply for the Family Income Supplement.
The Family Income Supplement is a social welfare payment that is sometimes payable to working families who are on a lower income.
The income limits are as follows:
Family with one child €490
Family with two children €570
Family with three children €655
Family with four children €760
These income limits are based on weekly net income, so once tax, PRSI, superannuation and health contributions have been deducted. Income is assessed as income from work, including overtime or bonuses, most social welfare and HSE payments and any income from pensions or self-employment. Payments that are not included in the income assessment are Child Benefit, Early Childcare Supplement, Carer’s Allowance, Guardians payments, Supplementary Welfare Allowance and a few less common social welfare payments.
The FIS payment is calculated at 60% of the difference between the net family income and the set income limits.
For example, if you are working 19 hours a week and earning €9 an hour your income from work will be €171 a week. The first €146.50 is disregarded for the purposes of the One Parent Family Payment, so half of the remainder will be assessed as means; this will reduce your payment from 197.80 to €192.80. The Child Dependent Allowance of €24 stays the same.
So your new income will be
€192.80 OPFP
€24 Child Dependent Allowance
€171 earnings
Which is a total of: €387.80
The maximum income limit for a family with one child is €490 so the difference between the new total income and this is €102.20, 60% of this is €61.32 so therefore a weekly FIS payment of €61.32 will be paid.
If you do qualify, even if only by a small amount, the minimum payment made is €20 a week
You cannot get FIS if you are taking part in a Community Employment (CE) Scheme.
To claim the Family Income Supplement you will need to have your latest p60, 2 recent payslips and your Certificate of Tax Credits from Revenue to send with your application form.
To get an application form or for more information contact your local social welfare office or the FIS section at:
DSFA
Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
Tel: (043) 45211 or (01) 704 3000
