Irish households hosting Ukrainian refugees can now apply for a €400 payment to cover expenses.
The state payment was approved in May but has not been available until now due to the time taken to set up the system.
Where hosts have already been providing the accommodation, the payment may be back-dated to 4 March 2022 and will be made available until the end of March 2023.
Payment of the ‘Accommodation Recognition Payment’ is being administered by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.
“The payment is a recognition of the generosity of people who have made accommodation available to victims of a humanitarian crisis, and it is linked to a minimum hosting commitment of 6 months,” the Department said.
The payment is available to people hosting in their own home or providing accommodation in a vacant property. It is also available to those who have made the hosting arrangement privately or through the Irish Red Cross pledge process. The payment is exempt for means-testing for social welfare payments and grants from other public bodies. It is also not taxable.
