Accurate benefit calculations for Citizens Information advisors
Sochar is a secure, professional welfare calculator used by Citizens Information services and partner organisations. Twenty-five primary payments. Full means tests. Medical Card assessment. Rates verified against SW19 2026.
Supporting advisors. Serving Citizens.
Sochar transforms complex, time-consuming manual calculations into a comprehensive 5-minute consultation, by giving advisors consistent, verified results on welfare queries.
Citizens Information advisors handle hundreds of thousands of complex welfare queries each year. Each case involves cross-checking payment rates, means thresholds, earnings disregards, and interactions between primary payments and supplementary schemes. Time pressure can lead to errors, incomplete support, and processes that are difficult to audit consistently across a national network.
Sochar consolidates the rules into a single, tested calculation engine. Every rate is traced to a page number in SW19 or a corresponding entry on citizensinformation.ie. Mid-year rate changes, such as the July 2026 Carer's Allowance disregard increase, apply automatically by date. A 100+ automated test suite verifies every payment calculation against known outcomes before each new release.
The result is a calculator advisors can rely on, and that CIS management can confidently audit. The same question, produces the same answer every time, ensuring consistency across every office.
What Sochar does
A full benefits picture in one place — primary payment, supplements, medical card, and a household total.
Means-tested payments
Jobseeker's Allowance, Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment, State Pension (Non-Contributory), Bereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory), SWA, and more — with full capital and earnings disregard handling.
Contribution-based payments
Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness Benefit, Carer's Benefit, State Pension (Contributory), Bereaved Partner's (Contributory), Maternity, Paternity, and Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds — with PRSI yearly-average bands.
Supplementary supports
Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance, Working Family Payment, Back to Work Family Dividend, Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit, Half-rate Carer's, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Support Grant, Child Benefit, Household Benefits Package, Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, Telephone Support Allowance.
Medical Card assessment
Under-70 and 70+ income assessments with expense deductions for rent, mortgage, childcare, travel-to-work, maintenance paid, and nursing home costs. GP Visit Card eligibility included.
Scenario comparison
Run two scenarios side by side — work versus welfare, different employment patterns, or before and after a life change — with a clear banner showing the best option and annual difference.
Printable summaries
Professional one-page summaries for the client via print, save-as-PDF, or email directly from the calculator. No personal data is stored.
Payments covered in full
Every primary payment across Ireland's social welfare system, with the correct means test, earnings disregards, and age-dependent rates applied automatically.
- Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)
- Disability Allowance (DA)
- Carer's Allowance (CA)
- One-Parent Family Payment (OFP)
- Jobseeker's Transitional (JST)
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Bereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory)
- Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA)
- Farm Assist
- Blind Pension
- Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
- Jobseeker's Benefit (JB)
- Illness Benefit (IB)
- Carer's Benefit (CB)
- State Pension (Contributory)
- Bereaved Partner's (Contributory)
- Maternity Benefit
- Paternity Benefit
- Adoptive Benefit
- Parent's Benefit
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
- Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds
- Invalidity Pension (IP)
- Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB)
Every rate is traceable
Payment rates, means thresholds, and disregards are verified against the primary sources published by the Department of Social Protection and referenced on citizensinformation.ie. Each figure in the calculator can be traced back to the SW19 booklet page number or the specific citizensinformation.ie URL it came from.
Available in six languages
Results are translated in real time so advisors can share outputs with clients in the language they're most comfortable with.
For partner organisations
Sochar provides authorised access to Citizens Information services, partner NGOs, and welfare rights advisors across Ireland.
Access is managed through an email domain whitelist, ensuring only approved organisations can issue login codes to their staff. Partners can also opt for a branded version of the calculator, hosted at a dedicated URL, along with access to a tailored analytics dashboard showing usage volume, geographic demand, and language breakdown.
All data processing takes place within the European Union. No client personal data is stored. Aggregate analytics are held in an EU-hosted database and used only for operational reporting and partner attribution.
If your organisation would like access for its advisors - and we'll be in touch within two working days.
Frequently asked questions
What is a benefit calculator?
A benefit calculator estimates the social welfare payments and supports you may be entitled to in Ireland. Sochar calculates 25 primary payments including Jobseeker's Allowance, Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance, State Pension, and more — along with supplements like Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, and Medical Card eligibility. All calculations use Budget 2026 rates verified against gov.ie and SW19.
How does the means test calculator work?
The means test calculator assesses your weekly income, spouse's income, capital (savings and investments), and other resources against the Department of Social Protection's thresholds. Each payment has its own rules — different earnings disregards, capital disregards, and assessment methods. Sochar applies the correct means test for whichever payment you select, including the DSP's tiered capital formula.
Can I check my Medical Card eligibility?
Yes. Sochar includes a full Medical Card assessment for under-70s and over-70s. It calculates your income threshold based on your living situation, dependants, and allowable expenses (rent, mortgage, childcare, travel to work, maintenance). The assessment is indicative — the HSE makes the final decision and may allow additional deductions. If the person recently left a qualifying social welfare payment (12+ months) to take up work, they may apply to retain their Medical Card for up to 3 years, irrespective of their new earnings.
What welfare payments does Sochar calculate?
Sochar covers 25 primary payments: Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit, Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, One-Parent Family Payment, Jobseeker's Transitional, State Pension (Non-Contributory and Contributory), Bereaved Partner's Payment (Non-Contributory and Contributory), Illness Benefit, Maternity Benefit, Paternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit, Parent's Benefit, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Farm Assist, Partial Capacity Benefit, Guardian's Payment (Contributory and Non-Contributory). It also calculates Fuel Allowance, Living Alone Allowance, Working Family Payment, Back to Work Family Dividend, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Carer's Support Grant, Child Benefit, Household Benefits Package, Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, Telephone Support Allowance, and GP Visit Card eligibility.
How accurate is the calculator?
All rates are verified against the SW19 Rates of Payment Booklet 2026, Budget 2026 (gov.ie), and citizensinformation.ie. A 100+ automated test suite verifies every payment calculation before each release. Mid-year rate changes apply automatically by date. Results are indicative — actual benefits are determined by the Department of Social Protection based on individual circumstances.
Is my data stored?
No client personal data is stored. Calculation inputs are processed in server memory and discarded immediately after the result is returned. Only anonymised aggregate analytics are retained (payment type queried, language, eircode area). All data processing takes place within the EU.
For advisors with an authorised account
Log in with your work email — we'll send a one-time access code. No password required.