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What Fuel Allowance is:

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. It is paid to people who are receiving certain long-term social welfare payment. (See list below)

The aim of the scheme is to help qualified households in receipt of certain social welfare payments with their heating costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person’s normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full.

The Fuel Allowance season normally begins in October of each year and ends in April. The rate of payment is €24.50 per week from October to April each year.

Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to each household.

How to qualify

If you are getting a means-tested payment, for example the State Pension (Non-contributory), you will have already satisfied the means test. However you must satisfy all other qualifying conditions such as household composition.

If you are not getting a means-tested payment and are getting a payment based on your social insurance record, for example the Contributory State Pension , you will need to satisfy a means test and all other qualifying conditions, to qualify for Fuel Allowance.

You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you are getting any of the following payments:

  • Jobseeker’s Allowance (if qualified)
  • Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (if qualified)
  • Farm Assist
  • One Parent Family Payment
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance Transition
  • Blind Pension
  • Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Allowance
  • Disability Allowance
  • Invalidity Pension
  • State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
  • State Pension Transition (closed to new entrants since 2014)
  • Guardian’s Payment (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
  • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Contributory or Non Contributory)
  • Incapacity Supplement under the Disablement Pension Scheme
  • Death Benefit Pension (previously known as Type 15) under Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme
  • Revenue Job Assist
  • Social Security Payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement (of which there is an Irish equivalent payment).

Living situation

You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you live alone or only with:

  • a qualified spouse, civil partner, cohabitant and or qualified child, if the qualified adult is in receipt of half rate careers allowance as well as the Increase for a qualified adult then fuel allowance may be paid subject to a means test

or

  • a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the allowance in their own right

or

or

Rate of payment

The weekly rate of payment is €24.50, usually payable from October to April.

People getting certain social welfare payments can get their Fuel Allowance paid in two lump sums. The first lump sum is normally paid in early October and the second payment is in January.

How do I get my payment paid in two lump sums?

To get your Fuel Allowance paid in two lump sums, fill in the application form to Change the Payment Frequency at the bottom of this page at least a month before the first lump sum is due.

Please note the lump sum option is not available on all schemes.

This form is also available from:

Apply

If this is your first time applying for Fuel Allowance, you need to fill in the Fuel Allowance Scheme application form at the bottom of this page. You can also get this form from your local post office.

Please apply before the start of the heating season (beginning of October). If you apply after this, the department cannot backdate your allowance.

Do I need to reapply each year?

You do not need to reapply for the Fuel Allowance each year as long as your circumstances remain the same and you continue to get the same social welfare payment. If your circumstances have changed you should contact us without delay to ensure you still have an entitlement to the Fuel Allowance.

If you are not getting a social welfare payment, your Fuel Allowance can be paid directly into your account in a financial institution or you can collect the allowance at your local post office.

Where to apply for Fuel Allowance

Where you send your application for Fuel Allowance depends on the social welfare payment you are receiving.

If you receive one of the following payments:

  • Invalidity Pension
  • Disability Allowance
  • Incapacity Supplement

Please send your completed Fuel Allowance Scheme application form and supporting documents to:

Social Welfare Services Office

Address:
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road , Longford,
Phone number:
(043) 334 0000

If you receive one of the following payments:

  • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
  • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-contributory) Pension
  • Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Allowance
  • State Pension (Contributory or Non-contributory)
  • Blind Pension
  • Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)
  • Guardian’s Payment (Non-contributory)

Please send your completed Fuel Allowance Scheme application form and supporting documents to:

Social Welfare Services-Sligo

Address:
Department of Social Protection, College Road , Sligo
Phone number:
(071) 915 7100
1890 500 000

If you receive one of the following payments:

  • Long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance (15 months)
  • Farm Assist
  • One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment

Please send your completed Fuel Allowance Scheme application form and supporting documents to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

If you receive Long-term Supplementary Welfare Allowance (15 months), please send your completed Fuel Allowance Scheme application form and supporting documents to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s representative at your local Intreo Centre (used to be called the Community Welfare Officer).