An unemployed person is someone who is not currently working and may receive income from the government to help support them.
Examples of income they might receive include: ґ Jobseeker’s Allowance.
ґ Disability Allowance or Illness Benefit, where unemployment relates to ill health.
Income for a Retired Person
A retired person is someone who has come to the end of their working life. A pension would normally be their main source of income. In 2026, the State pension age in Ireland was 66.
Pensions may be: ґ A state (public) pension paid by the government.
ґ A private pension that they have saved for during their working life. A worker can set aside some of their income every time they get paid, so that they will have an income from a pension when they retire.
Other Typical Sources of Income
Other sources of regular income anyone could receive include: ґ Rental income from owning an additional property that is rented out.
ґ Child Benefit is a monthly, tax-free payment of €140 per child (in 2026) paid to parents or guardians of children up to age 16, or up to their 19th birthday if the child is in full-time education.
Other sources of irregular income anyone could receive include:
ґ Interest earned on savings in a bank. ґ Dividends from owning shares in a business. A dividend is a portion of a company’s profit that is paid out to its investors, as a reward for investing in the business.
ґ Gifts or Inheritance are money received as a gift from family or friends, or inherited. An inheritance is money or property received from a person who has died.