Can I Get a Grant for Furniture?

Yes, in some situations. In Ireland the main route is the Additional Needs Payment from the Department of Social Protection, which can help with essential furniture when you cannot pay for it from your weekly income. Charities such as the Society of St Vincent de Paul also help households furnish a home. This guide explains who qualifies, how to apply, what furniture is usually covered, and what to do if you do not qualify, including how we help customers at M&I Interiors spread the cost of furnishing a room.

The Additional Needs Payment: the main furniture grant in Ireland

The Additional Needs Payment is a once-off payment for an essential expense you cannot meet from your own income. It replaced the older Exceptional Needs Payment and Urgent Needs Payment in 2022. It is decided case by case by a Community Welfare Officer, so there is no fixed amount and no set list of items, but essential household items such as a bed, a table and chairs, a cooker or a fridge are the kind of costs it is designed for.

Who can apply

• You live in Ireland and your household income is low. You do not have to be on a social welfare payment; people who are working, studying or self-employed can apply.
• The expense is essential and once-off, for example furnishing a home after moving into a new tenancy, after a family break-up, or after a fire or flood.
• You cannot reasonably pay for it from your weekly income or savings. The officer looks at your whole household’s income and outgoings.

How to apply

1. Apply online through MyWelfare.ie, or ask for the Additional Needs Payment form at your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. You can also contact the Community Welfare Service by phone.
2. Gather proof of income for everyone in the household (payslips or social welfare statements), proof of your address or tenancy, and bank statements.
3. Attach a written quote for the furniture you need. Officers usually want to see what the item costs before they decide, and a quote from a shop is the simplest evidence. We provide written quotes for this purpose; use the form at the end of this page.
4. Explain the circumstances in plain words: what you need, why now, and why you cannot pay for it yourself.

The payment does not have to be repaid. Decisions are made locally, so ask your Community Welfare Officer how long a decision will take in your area. If you are refused, you can ask for a review.

Other help with furniture in Ireland

• Society of St Vincent de Paul. Local SVP conferences help families with essential furniture and household goods, sometimes through their Vincent’s shops. Contact your local conference through svp.ie.
• Your local authority or housing body. If you are moving into a council or Approved Housing Body tenancy, ask your housing officer what is provided and whether a starter pack or furniture help is available. It varies by council.
• Homeless and resettlement services. Organisations such as Focus Ireland and the Peter McVerry Trust support people moving into a new home, and that support can include help sourcing furniture.
• Furniture reuse charities and charity shops. Good for beds, tables and wardrobes at low cost while you save for the pieces you want to keep.

Grants that do not cover furniture

The Housing Adaptation Grant, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People pay for building works and fixed equipment such as ramps, stairlifts and accessible bathrooms. They do not pay for loose furniture. SEAI grants cover insulation, heating and solar, not furnishings.

If you do not qualify: how to furnish a room in stages

Most of our customers furnish one room at a time, and we set the shop up to make that easy:

• Pay after order. When you order online we contact you to arrange payment: a 50% deposit secures a made-to-order piece and the balance is paid before delivery, so you are not paying the full amount up front.
• Start with the pieces you use every day. A bed, a dining table and chairs, and a sofa. Everything else can follow. Our accents under €200 cover the finishing touches without a big spend.
• Watch the clearance page. Showroom models and end-of-line pieces are listed on our sale and clearance page at reduced prices.
• Two-year warranty. Every piece of furniture we sell carries a two-year warranty, so a stretched budget does not mean a short-lived purchase.

Get a written quote for your application

Tell us which pieces you need (for example a double bed, a four-seat dining set, a two-seater sofa) and the room they are for. We will email a written quote with prices and delivery that you can attach to an Additional Needs Payment application or show to a charity worker. There is no obligation to order.

Furniture grant questions

Is the Additional Needs Payment a loan?

No. It is a payment, not a loan, and you do not repay it.

Can I get help with a bed or a cooker?

Yes. Beds, bedding, tables and chairs, cookers, fridges and washing machines are the essential household items the payment is most often used for.

Do I need to be on social welfare to apply?

No. The test is whether your household income is enough to cover the expense, not whether you receive a payment.

Will a quote from M&I Interiors be accepted?

A written quote on our letterhead with the item, price and delivery cost is the standard evidence officers ask for. Whether the item is approved is the officer’s decision, based on your circumstances.

Information on the Additional Needs Payment is published on gov.ie and citizensinformation.ie and can change; check the current rules there before you apply. Last reviewed September 2026.

For related guidance, read our Irish family statistics and empty-nester home makeovers.