Social welfare for Ukrainian Refugees in Ireland

If you arrive in Ireland from Ukraine , you can get support from the Irish State. This includes a place to stay, financial support (social welfare), the right to work, and healthcare services. To access social welfare in Ireland you will firstly need to get a Personal Public Service Number (PPS).

The Irish Government has published social welfare information for people arriving from Ukraine. This information is also available in Ukrainian and in Russian.

Accessing social welfare as a Ukrainian in Ireland

How to get a PPS number as a Ukrainian in Ireland

To access social welfare services in Ireland you will need a Personal Public Service Number (PPS number). Information on applying for a PPS number will be given to you on arrival at reception centres in Dublin Airport or Rosslare Port. If you do not receive this information or are already living in Ireland, you can go to a Ukraine Support Centre or your local Intreo Centre and they can help you get your PPS number. Intreo Centres are offices that provide social welfare services in Ireland. You cannot apply online for a PPS number.

To get a PPSN you will need a form of identification such as:

• Ukrainian National Identity Card
• Ukrainian Passport
• Another form of identification – birth certificate, driver’s licence

Ukraine Support Centres Ireland

You can get information and help at a Ukraine Support Centre in Ireland. The centres are currently available in Cork, Limerick and Dublin and offer information about social welfare, immigration and housing

• Dublin: Dublin 8 Intreo Centre, Guild Building, Cork Street, Dublin 8, D08 XH90
• Cork: Cork City PSC and PPSN Centre, Department of Social Protection, Hanover Street, Cork, T12 PX62
• Limerick: Dominick Street, Limerick, V94 X327

The opening hours for these centres are:

• Monday 9.15am – 5pm
• Tuesday 9.15am – 5pm
• Wednesday 9.15am – 5pm
• Thursday 10.30am – 5pm
• Friday 9.15am – 4.30pm

If you are not based in Dublin, Cork or Limerick, you can visit your local Intreo Centre for help, these are the offices that provide social welfare services in Ireland.

Applying for social welfare as a Ukrainian in Ireland

When you arrive in Ireland you can apply to the Department of Social Protection for financial support. You will get a temporary social welfare payment called Supplementary Welfare Allowance. It is a weekly payment for you and any dependents (for example, children) you may have. If you need help applying for this payment, you can visit your nearest Ukraine Support Centre or Intreo Centre.

You will continue to get Supplementary Welfare Allowance until you apply for a more suitable social welfare payment. Advice will be provided to you on this from your nearest Ukraine Support Centre or Intreo Centre. If you get a job, you need to tell your local social welfare office so they can stop your payments. However, you can keep your Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 30 days after you start working.

If you have children, you can get Child Benefit. This is a monthly payment paid to the parents or guardians of children aged under 16. It is also paid for children aged 16 and 17 in full-time education. You do not have to have proof that your 16 and 17 year old children are in full-time education for the first 2 months after you arrive in Ireland.

Social welfare payments are paid weekly through your local post office. Child Benefit payments are paid on the first Tuesday of the month, also through the post office. Staff at your Intreo centre will be able to tell you where your local post office is. In Ireland the postal service is called An Post.

Housing for Ukrainians in Ireland

When you arrive in Ireland, you can get help with getting somewhere to stay if you need it. If you tell immigration officials at the airport or port that you need a place to stay, they will refer you to the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS). IPAS have staff at the reception hubs at Dublin Airport and Rosslare Port. You can also go to a Ukraine Support Centre to get help with accommodation.

IPAS accommodation is free of charge and includes different types of accommodation. For example, you may be accommodated in a hotel, guest house or another type of State-owned or private accommodation including property pledged by members of the public.

If you don’t need a place to stay immediately (because you are staying with family or friends), you can ask for this help at any time later on.

If you need accommodation and you are already in Ireland, you can email the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) at [email protected] or visit a Ukraine Support Centre.

Include the following information in your email:

• The full name of anyone who needs accommodation
• Dates of birth
• Phone number
• Where you are now (the full address if you have one)
• When you need the accommodation (for example, from tonight)
• Medical conditions, disabilities, allergies and dietary requirements

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