HAP helps you rent a private home if you qualify for social housing. Your council pays the landlord each month and you pay the council a weekly contribution based on your income.
To get HAP (Housing Assistance Payment), you must first be on your local authority's housing list. Then you find a private rented home yourself, and you and your landlord apply together online at hap.ie or on a paper form from your council.
Who this is for
HAP is for people who qualify for social housing support from their local authority (city or county council). You can work full-time and still get HAP.
- Your household income is below your council's limit.
- You have no other suitable place to live.
- You have a long-term right to stay in Ireland. People with temporary protection, such as people who fled the war in Ukraine, cannot apply for social housing.
- You cannot move to HAP from another type of social housing, but you may be asked to move from Rent Supplement to HAP.
What you need
- Your social housing reference number from your council
- A home you have found, with a landlord willing to take part in HAP
- Details of everyone in your household
- Details of the tenancy and the property (address, rent, start date)
- Proof of income, such as payslips or social welfare receipts
- A verified MyGovID account if you apply online
- A copy of your rental agreement, if your council asks for it
Step by step
- Apply for social housing support if you are not already on the list. Get the Social Housing Support application form from your local authority and send it back with the documents it lists.
- Wait for your council to approve you. Keep the social housing reference number they give you.
- Check the HAP rent limit for your area and household size. Your council can tell you if it can use discretion to go higher.
- Find a private rented home yourself. The council will not find one for you, unless you are homeless (see below).
- Apply only after you have agreed a tenancy. Sign in to the Online HAP Portal with MyGovID, or ask your council for the paper HAP application form.
- Ask your landlord to do their part. Online, they get an email asking them to register on the portal. On paper, they fill in and sign their section of the form.
- Send the completed application to your local authority with your supporting documents as soon as possible.
- Sign the Rent Contribution Agreement if you are approved. This sets out the terms of HAP.
- Set up your weekly contribution to the council. Options include a standing order, the HAP app, online, or a HAP Bill Pay Card at a PostPoint.
Homeless HAP in Dublin
In Dublin, the Dublin Region Homeless Executive runs Homeless HAP for the four Dublin councils. It can go up to 50% above the normal rent limit. You must be accepted as homeless by one of the Dublin councils.
A Place Finder Service, available in every council area, helps homeless households and those at immediate risk. Your council can help with the deposit or advance rent. In Dublin, email placefinders@dublincity.ie or contact your council's homeless section.
How much it costs and how long it takes
Your council pays the landlord directly on the last Wednesday of each month. You pay the council a weekly contribution under its differential rent scheme. That means your share goes up when your income rises and down when it falls.
| Council | 1 adult | Couple | Adult or couple + 1 child |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin City | €660 | €900 | €1,250 |
| Cork City | €550 | €650 | €900 |
| Limerick City and County | €420 | €450 | €650 |
| Donegal | €340 | €370 | €410 |
No official processing time is published. Ask your council how long it takes in your area.
Common mistakes
- Applying before you have a home. The HAP form only works once you have agreed a tenancy.
- Agreeing rent above the limit. If the rent is higher than HAP covers, you pay the extra (a top-up) to your landlord yourself. Official guidance suggests keeping your total costs under 35% of income if you work, or 30% if you only get social welfare.
- Not paying your contribution. If you fall behind, HAP payments to your landlord can stop.
- Not reporting changes. Tell your council when your income or household changes, so your contribution is recalculated.
- Forgetting the deposit. HAP does not pay your deposit, unless you get help through Homeless HAP or the Place Finder Service.
If I get a full-time job, I lose HAP.
You can work full-time and keep HAP. Your weekly contribution will go up as your income rises.
If something goes wrong
- Contact the housing section of your local authority first. Find yours at hap.ie.
- HAP helpline: 061 556 600. HAP contribution payments by phone: 061 529 654.
- Your landlord must show they are tax compliant. If they are not, payments can stop, so ask them to sort it out quickly.
- Citizens Information Phone Service: 0818 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).
Related guides
- How to get your deposit back through the RTB
- How to get a verified MyGovID
- How to apply for social housing support
New tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026, including HAP tenancies, follow new rules on rent increases and ending a tenancy. See Citizens Information, 'Changes to the rules for renting from March 2026'.
The Citizens Information HAP page was last edited in May 2025. Check rent limits with your council before you agree a rent.
