Information on Proposed Changes to ARP for Pledgers and Beneficiaries
This information has been prepared to give pledgers and beneficiaries who work with the Irish Red Cross information in relation to changes the government are proposing to make in relation to the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP). This page is for information only and does not constitute professional advice. Pledgers and beneficiaries should always take their own independent and professional advice on any arrangements they enter into to ensure any such arrangements are suitable for their requirements.
What is the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD)?
The Temporary Protection Directive is an EU law that was introduced in 2001, creating a special procedure to deal with a mass influx of people in need of international protection. It was adopted into Irish law under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015. The Directive was activated for the first time in March 2022 in response to the Ukraine Crisis. Those who were legally living in Ukraine before 24 February 2022 and who cannot safely return to their own country can benefit from temporary protection. The directive has been extended to March 2026.
What is the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP)?
The Accommodation Recognition Payment was introduced in July 2022 to recognise the generosity of people who have opened their homes to provide accommodation to Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs).
It is a government legislated scheme, under Part 2 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022, that is administered by the Department of Social Protection, independent of the Irish Red Cross. It is a tax-free monthly payment, paid retrospectively.
The ARP scheme has been extended by 12 months until March 2026, bringing it in line with the Temporary Protection Directive. This motion for extension was passed by both houses of the Oireachtas on 26th/27th March 2025.
Navigating proposed changes to ARP
The current ARP scheme payment is €800 per month. The Oireachtas approved a 12-month extension of the scheme on 26/27th March 2025. However, Minister Norma Foley has stated that a separate draft order will be introduced, proposing a reduction of the payment to €600 from June 2025.
This draft order, to be brought forward by the Minister for Justice after the transfer of functions, will require approval from both houses of the Oireachtas before it can take effect. If the motion for reducing the ARP proceeds as planned, the first payment affected will be made in July 2025 (retrospective payment for the month of June).
This allows time for pledgers to assess their options moving forward before deciding how to proceed if the payment is reduced .
We recommend taking your time to decide, as the proposed changes to the ARP scheme are not indicated to take effect immediately. However, we advise informing your guest of your decision as soon as you have made it. We encourage open and honest communication between hosts and guests.
Guidance for those hosting Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection matched by Consortium Partners (Irish Red Cross, IOM and previously Helping Irish Hosts and Peter McVerry Trust) or Offer a Home:
Your home is still your own and it is your choice whether to continue hosting or not. If your placement is supported by a License Agreement (LA), and you choose not to continue with the prospective changes to the ARP scheme, the LA asks for 2 weeks’ notice for any exits.
Guidance for those hosting Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection in private arrangements, independent of Consortium or Offer a Home support:
If you do not have a License Agreement (LA) in place, the notice period you need to give will depend on whatever agreement you do have in place. In any event, even if it is not strictly required, we would recommend giving as much notice as possible to allow people to plan for their exit.
Options you may consider for navigating your placement after proposed changes to the ARP
Below are suggested options for how you may proceed with your placement, following the proposed reduction in ARP:
1. Continue the placement at the reduced rate.
If the reduced rate is not feasible, consider the following:
2. Continue the placement at the reduced rate but introduce utility contributions if they’re not already in place.
For shared pledges:
If guests have not been contributing to utility costs, discussions can be held about initiating reasonable contributions.
For vacant pledges: Transfer utility costs to guests if this hasn't been done already.
3. Transition to a private rental agreement, moving from ARP.
For shared placements:
The Rent-a-Room scheme may be suitable.
For vacant placements:
Transition to a private rental agreement, which would involve taking on landlord responsibilities.
• A transition to the Rent-a-Room scheme/a private rental agreement is an independent decision and falls outside the scope of Irish Red Cross support.
• Independent legal and financial advice would be required.
• ARP and Rent-a-Room/private rent cannot run together.
4. End the placement, following the notice period outlined in the Licence Agreement (LA), if applicable.
*When making any decision, it is important to seek independent legal and financial advice*
Our guidance on Contributions
• Under the current ARP scheme, we understand that hosts are allowed to receive a reasonable contribution of utility costs (Shared Accommodation) or a transferrall of all utility costs (Vacant) from their guests.
• We do not recommend that pledgers accept or request any payments from guests beyond the ARP payment, except for a reasonable contribution towards utilities. Accepting additional payments could lead to tax and legal implications. Pledgers should always seek independent legal and financial advice.
• The legislation (Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022) defines a rental agreement as ‘an arrangement under which one party grants to the other party a right to occupy all or part of a dwelling, subject to the payment of money’. Where rental agreements are in place, hosts are not eligible for the ARP scheme.
Pledgers should direct any queries about the operation of the ARP scheme to the Department of Social Protection at arp@welfare.ie or 0818 70 80 90
Guidance for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) in Pledged Accommodation
• We encourage maintaining open communication with your hosts around next steps.
• If you are not already contributing to bills, your host may reasonably request a fair contribution, especially given the proposed reduction in the ARP payment.
• If you entered pledged accommodation from the Ukraine Crisis Temporary Accommodation Team (UCTAT) and arrived in the State before 14th March 2024, you will be entitled to return to UCTAT accommodation should your placement be terminated.
We strongly encourage securing long-term, stable accommodation through a private tenancy agreement. While the pledge programme offers a temporary solution, it’s important to consider your next steps beyond ARP and hosted accommodation. For information on the Irish private rental market, visit Citizen’s Information, the Residential Tenancies Board, and Threshold.
What will happen after March 2026?
• Both the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) and the Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP) are set to expire in March 2026.
o Temporary Protection Directive (TPD)
The TPD is an EU Directive that has been extended until March 2026, allowing Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTPs) to continue accessing its protections. The Minister for Justice has confirmed that discussions are ongoing at both Government and EU levels regarding future arrangements and that Ireland supports a harmonised approach among EU Member States.
We will provide updates as more information becomes available.
o Accommodation Recognition Payment (ARP)
o The ARP has been extended by order of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth until March 2026. There is currently no further information on its future beyond this date, except that the payment is set to reduce to €600 per month from June 2025.