Question
What is the One-Parent Family Payment?
Answer
The One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a means-tested social welfare payment for men and women under 66 who are bringing children up without the support of a partner.
To qualify for OFP you must:
• Be the parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian of a relevant child – generally this means a child under 7 but there are some exceptions.
• Be the main carer of at least one relevant child that lives with you. OFP is not payable if parents have joint equal custody.
• Be habitually resident in Ireland (certain people, in particular EU nationals who are considered migrant workers, are exempt from the habitual residence condition).
• Not be living with a spouse, civil partner or cohabiting.
If you are separated, divorced or your civil partnership is dissolved, you must have been living apart from your spouse or civil partner for at least 3 months. This does not apply to cohabitants. You may need to make efforts to get maintenance from your former spouse or partner.
The maximum rate for OFP is €203 per week. If you are working, your gross earnings from insurable employment or self-employment cannot be more than €425 per week.
In general, you stop getting OFP when your child turns 7 (the exceptions are where you are caring for a child with a disability who is getting Domiciliary Care Allowance or if your partner has recently died). If you no longer qualify for OFP, you may qualify for the Jobseeker's Transitional payment. This is a payment for people parenting alone whose children are aged between 7 and 13.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by South Connacht Citizens Information Service CLG, which provides a free and confidential service to the public.
Tel: 0761 07 6330 Address: Boyle CIC, Elphin Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000.
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