Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months.
You can get it if you are aged 70 or over, or getting long-term social welfare payments. (Access the full list below).
The current rate of payment is €33 every week from 25 September 2023 until 5 April 2024.
Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to each household.
Fuel Allowance season started on 25 September 2023.
You may qualify for Fuel Allowance if you are 70 or over. You do not need to be getting a qualifying social welfare payment.
To qualify you must:
- be 70 or over
- be legally resident in the State
- pass a means test
- be living alone or only with other qualified people
If you are getting a means-tested payment, for example Disability Allowance or State Pension (Non-contributory), this means you have already satisfied the means test.
You must also meet all other conditions, such as those related to your household composition to qualify.
If you are getting a payment based on your social insurance record, for example, State Pension (Contributory) or Invalidity Pension, you need to pass a means test and meet all other required conditions to qualify.
You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you are getting:
- Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (if qualified)
- Blind Pension
- Death Benefit Pension under the Occupational Injuries Scheme
- Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
- Disability Allowance
- Farm Assist
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
- Incapacity Supplement under the Disablement Pension Scheme
- Invalidity Pension
- Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
- Jobseeker's Allowance (if qualified)
- One-Parent Family Payment
- Revenue Job Assist
- Social Security Payment (of which there is an Irish equivalent payment) from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
- State Pension Contributory or Non-contributory
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension Contributory or Non-contributory
You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you live alone or only with:
- a person aged 70 years or over
- a dependent adult or dependent child
- a person who is getting a qualifying payment but is not receiving Fuel Allowance (only one Fuel Allowance is paid to each household)
- a person who is getting Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit and is caring for you or for your dependent adult or dependent child
- a person getting short term Jobseeker's Allowance or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- a person who gets half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well as an increase for a dependent adult
Since January 2023, half-rate Carer’s Allowance and Disablement Benefit payments are not included in the Fuel Allowance means test.
If you are living with a person who is 70 or over, it may be better for your household if they apply for Fuel Allowance.
The weekly rate of payment is currently €33 during the Fuel Allowance season, which is usually from late September to April.
People getting certain social welfare payments can choose to get their Fuel Allowance paid in two instalments. The first instalment sum is paid at the start of the Fuel Allowance season and the second is paid in January.
To get your Fuel Allowance paid in two instalments, you can apply by completing the Change the Payment Frequency of Fuel Allowance Application Form (FA CPF1).
You should submit the completed form at least one month before the Fuel Allowance season starts. If you submit it during the season, your payment will continue to be paid weekly until the next instalment is due.
Please note the instalment option is not available on all schemes.
This form is also available from:
Please apply before the start of the Fuel Allowance season (late September). If you apply after this, the department cannot backdate your allowance.
You do not need to reapply for Fuel Allowance each year as long as your circumstances have not changed and you continue to get the same social welfare payment.
If your circumstances change you should contact the department as soon as possible to make sure you can still get Fuel Allowance.
Important Note
The online service is not available if you are getting long-term Jobseeker's Allowance (12 months), Jobseeker's Transitional Payments, Farm Assist or One-Parent Family Payment. You can only apply through your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
The online service is not available if you are getting long-term Jobseeker's Allowance (12 months), Jobseeker's Transitional Payments, Farm Assist or One-Parent Family Payment. You can only apply through your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
The quickest and easiest way to apply is online at MyWelfare.ie.
If you are aged 70 or over and want to apply by post, complete the Fuel Allowance Scheme Application Form (NFS2 - O/70) and send to:
Application Form: Fuel Allowance for people aged 70 years or over (NFS2 - O/70)
This form is for Fuel Allowance applicants who are aged 70 years or over only. If you are under 70 years of age, please use the NFS1 form. Edition: Dec 2022
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Fuel Allowance Section
Address:
Department of Social Protection, College Road, Co Sligo, F91 T384
Phone number:
If you are under 70 and want to apply by post, complete the Fuel Allowance Scheme Application Form (NFS1). You can also get this form from your local post office.
Application Form: Fuel Allowance under the National Fuel Scheme (NFS1)
This form is for Fuel Allowance applicants who are under 70 years of age only. If you are aged 70 or over, please use the NFS2 form. Edition: October 2022
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If applying using the paper Fuel Allowance (NFS1) application form you should send the completed form to the section of the department which you are getting your payment from. The relevant section addresses are listed below.
If you are getting:
- Death Benefit
- Disability Allowance
- Incapacity Supplement
- Invalidity Pension
Please send your completed Fuel Allowance application form and supporting documents to:
Social Welfare Services Office (Longford)
Address:
Department of Social Protection, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Co Longford, N39 E4E0
Phone number:
If you are getting:
- Blind Pension
- Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
- Guardian's Payment (Non-contributory)
- Social Security Payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement
- State Pension (Contributory or Non-contributory)
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-contributory) Pension
Please send your completed Fuel Allowance application form and supporting documents to:
Social Welfare Services (Sligo)
Address:
Department of Social Protection, College Road, Co Sligo
Phone number:
If you are getting:
- Farm Assist
- Long-term Jobseeker's Allowance (12 months)
- One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker's Transitional Payment
Send your completed Fuel Allowance application form and supporting documents to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
If you are getting Long-term Supplementary Welfare Allowance (12 months):
Send your completed Fuel Allowance application form and supporting documents to the department's representative at your local Intreo Centre.
Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.