Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) provides short-term support to help you pay your mortgage interest repayments.
Since 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme has been closed to new entrants and no new applications have been accepted since this date. This did not affect people who were getting Mortgage Interest Supplement before 1 January 2014.
The scheme was wound down for these claimants over a 4-year period and it closed on 31 December 2017. However, claimants who were getting MIS payments that were due to end on that date continue to receive payments under the Supplementary Welfare Scheme from 1 January 2018.
The amount you get is equal to the MIS payment that you were getting prior to 31 December 2017. This payment is made automatically and there is no need to re-apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Supports for people in mortgage difficulty
If you find yourself having difficulty with mortgage repayments, there are several sources of advice and help available.
MABS, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, can advise you on dealing with mortgage arrears as well as other forms of problem debt. The MABS helpline 0761 07 2000 is open from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. MABS also operates a nationwide network of centres, staffed by specialist money advisers.
In addition, MABS is centrally involved in an aid and advice scheme for people in serious mortgage arrears, as part of Abhaile, the national Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service. Abhaile provides a dedicated adviser who will work with you and your lender to find the best solution for your situation.
You can contact Abhaile at 0761 07 2000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. This service is completely free, confidential and independent, and is available in more than 60 locations nationwide.
The website, keepingyourhome.ie, provides comprehensive information on the services and entitlements available if you are having difficulties making your mortgage repayments.
The Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) scheme has been closed to new entrants since 1 January 2014 and is being wound down for existing recipients over a 4-year period. However, claimants getting MIS payments that were due to end on that date, continue to receive payments under the Supplementary Welfare Scheme from 1 January 2018.
Your interest is assessed as your gross monthly interest less mortgage interest relief and any mortgage allowance or mortgage subsidy payable towards the interest part of your mortgage by the local authority.
You will only get assistance with the interest portion of your mortgage repayments. You will not get help with the portion that pays off the actual loan and house insurance. You should contact your lender to discuss repaying the actual loan. If you have a consolidated loan, only the interest portion of your loan that relates to the essential purchase, repair or maintenance of your home will be taken into account.
The minimum contribution for couples towards Mortgage Interest Supplement increased from €35 to €40 per week (since 1 January 2014). This change applies to new and existing recipients. The minimum contribution for single people, including single people with children (currently €30), has not changed.
To qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement you must meet the following conditions:
*In exceptional circumstances, the Department’s representative may award a supplement where the amount of mortgage interest payable by a person exceeds the amount the Department’s representative considers reasonable to meet his or her residential and other needs. This supplement is payable for a maximum of 12 months from the date of the claim.
You can get MIS if your house is for sale. This means that people can engage in selling their home and continue to be eligible for MIS, subject to the other conditions of the MIS scheme.
You won’t qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if:
You will not qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are in full-time employment. That is, employment for 29 hours per week or more. (In the case of couples, if one of a couple is in full time employment, both are excluded from claiming Mortgage Interest Supplement). However, there are special retention arrangements that may allow you to keep a proportion of your Mortgage Interest Supplement - for example, if you are participating in a Community Employment Scheme or getting a Back to Work Allowance or Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. Your gross household income must not exceed €317.43 per week. Back to Work Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Family Income Supplement (FIS), PRSI, reasonable travel expenses and any childcare allowance payable on certain training courses is not taken into account in the assessment of your gross household income.
Under these special retention arrangements you will continue to get 75% of your Mortgage Interest Supplement rate during your first year in employment, 50% in the second year and 25% in the third and fourth year. After the fourth year you will no longer be entitled to Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are in employment.
These retention arrangements also apply to people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more and who return to full-time employment and sign off their social welfare payment. In these cases gross household income must not exceed €317.43 per week.
You won’t qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are attending full-time education. However, if you are getting Mortgage Interest Supplement and qualify for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), you will keep an entitlement to Mortgage Interest Supplement.
When you apply for Mortgage Interest Supplement your means will be assessed. This will show how much of the mortgage interest you are able to pay. A means test examines all your sources of income. However, some income is not taken into account in the calculation of your means. You may qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if your income is below a certain amount and you meet the other conditions - see 'Rules' above.
The capital value of property (except your own home), savings and investments are assessed on a weekly basis as follows:
| Capital | Weekly means assessed as |
| First €5,000 | Nil |
| Next €10,000 | €1 per €1,000 |
| Next €25,000 | €2 per €1,000 |
| Any capital over €40,000 | €4 per €1,000 |
Redundancy payments
A redundancy or lump sum payment will be assessed as capital, unless it has been used to reduce the balance of your mortgage or other outstanding loans.
When calculating your Mortgage Interest Supplement, the following income is not taken into account:
*Additional household income is income from part-time employment or part-time self-employment, Family Income Supplement, Community Employment (CE), Back to Work Allowance, Back to Enterprise Allowance or FÁS course. Maintenance is also assessed as additional household income (see below).
Maintenance is assessed as additional household income (see above) and maintenance payments up to €95.23 per week are assessed in full. The household income disregard (see above) applies to maintenance payments above this amount. For example, if your only additional household income is maintenance, all of your maintenance payment up to €95.23 per week is assessed in full. The household income disregard of €75 applies to sums above this, so that any maintenance between €95.23 and €170.23 is not taken into account. 25% of all maintenance over €170.23 is also not taken into account.
You must pay at least €30 towards your mortgage interest. You may pay more than €30 because you must also contribute any means you have towards your mortgage interest. If you are one of a couple and are claiming Mortgage Interest Supplement you must pay at least €40 towards your mortgage interest.
Calculating your Mortgage Interest Supplement can be difficult. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) in your local health centre decides whether you are eligible for Mortgage Interest Supplement and calculates the amount you get.
The Department's representative adds together any income taken into account in the means test for Mortgage Interest Supplement. They then subtract any income not taken into account. Your remaining income and Household Contribution are added together to find your contribution to your mortgage interest - see 'Means test' above. Find out more about Calculating Mortgage Interest Supplement.
The Mortgage Interest Supplement payable to you is the difference between your actual mortgage interest and your contribution to mortgage interest, as long as the difference between the two is a reasonable amount to meet your residential needs.
Generally the Department's representative will ensure that your income after paying the interest on your mortgage does not fall below a minimum level. This level is the Supplementary Welfare Allowance minus €30 (€40 for couples).
From 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme is closed to new entrants and no new applications will be accepted from this date.
If you are not satisfied with a decision made in relation to Mortgage Interest Supplement, first find out why the decision was made by asking the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer), who will give you the reasons in writing. You should provide any extra documentation to back up your case.
From 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme is closed to new entrants and no new applications will be accepted from this date.
The new income disregards came into effect on 5 June 2007. Claims made before 5 June 2007 were assessed using the old income disregards (see below).
All existing Mortgage Interest Supplement claims in payment on 5 June 2007
will be reviewed and assessed using both the current income disegards and the
old income disregards. If you would get more Mortgage Interest Supplement using
the old income disregards, you will continue to be assessed using the old rules
until a change in circumstances triggers a review. A change in circumstances
would include, for example, a change in household income or a break in your
claim for more than 13 weeks.
Income from the following sources was not taken into account in the assessment of Mortgage Interest Supplement claims made before 5 June 2007:
Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) provides short-term support to help you pay your mortgage interest repayments.
Since 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme has been closed to new entrants and no new applications have been accepted since this date. This did not affect people who were getting Mortgage Interest Supplement before 1 January 2014.
The scheme was wound down for these claimants over a 4-year period and it closed on 31 December 2017. However, claimants who were getting MIS payments that were due to end on that date continue to receive payments under the Supplementary Welfare Scheme from 1 January 2018.
The amount you get is equal to the MIS payment that you were getting prior to 31 December 2017. This payment is made automatically and there is no need to re-apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.
Supports for people in mortgage difficulty
If you find yourself having difficulty with mortgage repayments, there are several sources of advice and help available.
MABS, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, can advise you on dealing with mortgage arrears as well as other forms of problem debt. The MABS helpline 0761 07 2000 is open from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday. MABS also operates a nationwide network of centres, staffed by specialist money advisers.
In addition, MABS is centrally involved in an aid and advice scheme for people in serious mortgage arrears, as part of Abhaile, the national Mortgage Arrears Resolution Service. Abhaile provides a dedicated adviser who will work with you and your lender to find the best solution for your situation.
You can contact Abhaile at 0761 07 2000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. This service is completely free, confidential and independent, and is available in more than 60 locations nationwide.
The website, keepingyourhome.ie, provides comprehensive information on the services and entitlements available if you are having difficulties making your mortgage repayments.
The Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) scheme has been closed to new entrants since 1 January 2014 and is being wound down for existing recipients over a 4-year period. However, claimants getting MIS payments that were due to end on that date, continue to receive payments under the Supplementary Welfare Scheme from 1 January 2018.
Your interest is assessed as your gross monthly interest less mortgage interest relief and any mortgage allowance or mortgage subsidy payable towards the interest part of your mortgage by the local authority.
You will only get assistance with the interest portion of your mortgage repayments. You will not get help with the portion that pays off the actual loan and house insurance. You should contact your lender to discuss repaying the actual loan. If you have a consolidated loan, only the interest portion of your loan that relates to the essential purchase, repair or maintenance of your home will be taken into account.
The minimum contribution for couples towards Mortgage Interest Supplement increased from €35 to €40 per week (since 1 January 2014). This change applies to new and existing recipients. The minimum contribution for single people, including single people with children (currently €30), has not changed.
To qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement you must meet the following conditions:
*In exceptional circumstances, the Department’s representative may award a supplement where the amount of mortgage interest payable by a person exceeds the amount the Department’s representative considers reasonable to meet his or her residential and other needs. This supplement is payable for a maximum of 12 months from the date of the claim.
You can get MIS if your house is for sale. This means that people can engage in selling their home and continue to be eligible for MIS, subject to the other conditions of the MIS scheme.
You won’t qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if:
You will not qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are in full-time employment. That is, employment for 29 hours per week or more. (In the case of couples, if one of a couple is in full time employment, both are excluded from claiming Mortgage Interest Supplement). However, there are special retention arrangements that may allow you to keep a proportion of your Mortgage Interest Supplement - for example, if you are participating in a Community Employment Scheme or getting a Back to Work Allowance or Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. Your gross household income must not exceed €317.43 per week. Back to Work Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Family Income Supplement (FIS), PRSI, reasonable travel expenses and any childcare allowance payable on certain training courses is not taken into account in the assessment of your gross household income.
Under these special retention arrangements you will continue to get 75% of your Mortgage Interest Supplement rate during your first year in employment, 50% in the second year and 25% in the third and fourth year. After the fourth year you will no longer be entitled to Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are in employment.
These retention arrangements also apply to people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more and who return to full-time employment and sign off their social welfare payment. In these cases gross household income must not exceed €317.43 per week.
You won’t qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if you are attending full-time education. However, if you are getting Mortgage Interest Supplement and qualify for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), you will keep an entitlement to Mortgage Interest Supplement.
When you apply for Mortgage Interest Supplement your means will be assessed. This will show how much of the mortgage interest you are able to pay. A means test examines all your sources of income. However, some income is not taken into account in the calculation of your means. You may qualify for Mortgage Interest Supplement if your income is below a certain amount and you meet the other conditions - see 'Rules' above.
The capital value of property (except your own home), savings and investments are assessed on a weekly basis as follows:
| Capital | Weekly means assessed as |
| First €5,000 | Nil |
| Next €10,000 | €1 per €1,000 |
| Next €25,000 | €2 per €1,000 |
| Any capital over €40,000 | €4 per €1,000 |
Redundancy payments
A redundancy or lump sum payment will be assessed as capital, unless it has been used to reduce the balance of your mortgage or other outstanding loans.
When calculating your Mortgage Interest Supplement, the following income is not taken into account:
*Additional household income is income from part-time employment or part-time self-employment, Family Income Supplement, Community Employment (CE), Back to Work Allowance, Back to Enterprise Allowance or FÁS course. Maintenance is also assessed as additional household income (see below).
Maintenance is assessed as additional household income (see above) and maintenance payments up to €95.23 per week are assessed in full. The household income disregard (see above) applies to maintenance payments above this amount. For example, if your only additional household income is maintenance, all of your maintenance payment up to €95.23 per week is assessed in full. The household income disregard of €75 applies to sums above this, so that any maintenance between €95.23 and €170.23 is not taken into account. 25% of all maintenance over €170.23 is also not taken into account.
You must pay at least €30 towards your mortgage interest. You may pay more than €30 because you must also contribute any means you have towards your mortgage interest. If you are one of a couple and are claiming Mortgage Interest Supplement you must pay at least €40 towards your mortgage interest.
Calculating your Mortgage Interest Supplement can be difficult. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) in your local health centre decides whether you are eligible for Mortgage Interest Supplement and calculates the amount you get.
The Department's representative adds together any income taken into account in the means test for Mortgage Interest Supplement. They then subtract any income not taken into account. Your remaining income and Household Contribution are added together to find your contribution to your mortgage interest - see 'Means test' above. Find out more about Calculating Mortgage Interest Supplement.
The Mortgage Interest Supplement payable to you is the difference between your actual mortgage interest and your contribution to mortgage interest, as long as the difference between the two is a reasonable amount to meet your residential needs.
Generally the Department's representative will ensure that your income after paying the interest on your mortgage does not fall below a minimum level. This level is the Supplementary Welfare Allowance minus €30 (€40 for couples).
From 1 January 2014, the Mortgage Interest Supplement scheme is closed to new entrants and no new applications will be accepted from this date.
If you are not satisfied with a decision made in relation to Mortgage Interest Supplement, first find out why the decision was made by asking the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer), who will give you the reasons in writing. You should provide any extra documentation to back up your case.
The new income disregards came into effect on 5 June 2007. Claims made before 5 June 2007 were assessed using the old income disregards (see below).
All existing Mortgage Interest Supplement claims in payment on 5 June 2007
will be reviewed and assessed using both the current income disegards and the
old income disregards. If you would get more Mortgage Interest Supplement using
the old income disregards, you will continue to be assessed using the old rules
until a change in circumstances triggers a review. A change in circumstances
would include, for example, a change in household income or a break in your
claim for more than 13 weeks.
Income from the following sources was not taken into account in the assessment of Mortgage Interest Supplement claims made before 5 June 2007:
You can contact the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) Helpline on 0761 07 2000
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