What is the Fuel Allowance?
Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. It is paid to only one person in a household from late September of each year and ends in April. It will be paid for 28 weeks (until beginning of April 2027). The current rate of Fuel Allowance is €38 per week. You can choose to get the Fuel Allowance paid every week or paid in two instalments (lump sums). Currently the total Fuel Allowance payment over 28 weeks is €1,064. It can be paid to you in two instalments (lump sums) - September 2026 and January 2027.
How do you qualify for Fuel Allowance?
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- To get Fuel Allowance you must:
- Be aged 66 or over
- Be under 66 and get a qualifying social welfare payment (see qualifying payments below)
- Live alone (or only with certain people).
- Satisfy a means test
- You must also live in Ireland. You cannot get Fuel Allowance if your heating costs are provided in full as part of your accommodation.
How does the means test work?
The Department of Social Protection (DSP) examines all your sources of income. Your gross weekly income must be below a certain amount to pass the means test. Contact your local Citizens Information Centre and they will explain the means test in detail. If you are over 66 you can have income of up to €534 per week, or €1,068 per week for a couple and still qualify for Fuel
Allowance. A single person under 66 can have income up to €499.30 per week and a couple where the qualified adult is under 66 can have weekly income up to €698.70. This increases to €767.70 if the qualified adult is 66 or over.
How to apply for the Fuel Allowance?
You can apply for the Fuel Allowance online. You must have a MyGovID account to apply online. If you can’t apply online, you can use a paper application form. You can get a form from your local Citizens Information Centre, local post office or by phoning 0818 200 400. You should ask for the relevant form for your age. You can get help to fill in your application form at your local Citizens Information Centre. If you qualified for the fuel allowance the previous year, you do not need to reapply for Fuel Allowance each year, as long as your circumstances remain the same and you continue to get the same social welfare payment.
If you need further information contact your local Citizens Information Service in Bantry (Monday to Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday 10am-4pm) or ring 0818 07 8390. Alternatively you can email on [email protected] or visit www.citizensinformation.ie.
