If you have a social welfare payment and another source of income, such as a pension from work, you may have to pay tax. If so, your taxable social welfare payment and your other income are added together and you are taxed on the total amount.
Read more in our document Taxation of social welfare payments.
Normally your tax credits are reduced by the amount of the social welfare payment, so that all the tax due is deducted from your other income.
People aged over 65
If your total income is less than €18,000 as a single person or €36,000 as a married couple or civil partners, then you are exempt from income tax. If your total income is greater than this, then you may be liable for tax.
People aged under 65
If you have a taxable social welfare payment, such as Jobseeker’s Benefit or Invalidity Pension, you may be liable for tax if you have another source of income such as a disability pension from your work or your husband’s, wife’s or civil partner’s earnings.
The exemption limits above do not apply to people under 65 years of age.
Help and information
Contact your local Citizens Information Service in person or by phone or phone 0761 07 4000.
Revenue phonelines are open from 9.15am:
Dublin City and County 1890 333 425.
Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo and Westmeath 1890 777 425.
Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick 1890 222 425.
Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Meath, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow 1890 444 425.
For more information, also see Revenue’s Updating of Revenue Records on Department of Social Protection (DSP) Pensioners.