The Fuel Allowance in Ireland is one of the most important financial supports offered to eligible households in order to help deal with the high cost of heating homes during winter. Stay tuned to check the dates of payment, eligibility criteria, amount of payout, and how to apply.
Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024
Fuel Allowance is a State payment designed to assist in meeting the cost of heating a home during the colder part of the year. It is paid at €33.21 per week for 28 weeks, commencing late September and running until early April.
Normally, you need to be aged 70 years or over and in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment to qualify for the Fuel Allowance. The eligibility criteria might vary; therefore, one should consult the Department of Social Protection for further information on this.
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Eligibility for the Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024
Eligibility criteria for the Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024 is mentioned below.
- You must have turned 70 years old on the date that you apply.
- You must be living alone or else with one or more of the following people ONLY
- A dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant
- Dependent children
- People getting short-term Jobseeker’s Allowance or fundamental Supplementary Welfare Allowance
- Others in receipt of a qualifying payment, and who would also satisfy the conditions for receipt of Fuel Allowance in their own right,
Your total weekly income must be below a certain amount in order to satisfy the conditions for receiving the allowance. This is specified by the means test, which is an examination of your income and your financial circumstances to assess whether you satisfy the criteria for getting Fuel Allowance. This is how it works:
- If you are receiving a social welfare payment that meets the requirements, you may have already passed the means test.
- If you are in receipt of payment due to your social insurance record.
- In January 2023, the income limits for the means test were increased to enable more people to fall within such limits.
- For those under 70 years, the weekly allowance which was €120 rose to €200 above the relevant state pension rate.
- For those over 70, the allowable sum payable per week also increased to €500 for one person and €1,000 for a couple.
- Savings limit for over 70s also went up from €20,000 to €50,000.
Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024 Date
The Fuel Allowance season for the year 2023–2024 has started on September 25, 2023, and will be paid until April 5, 2024. Payments are made for 28 weeks in all. Customers have a choice to receive their allowance on a week-to-week basis or in two payments in lump sums.
- Weekly: You received €33 per week for the duration of the heating season.
- Two lump sums: You received two payments of €462 each, one in September and the other in January.
If you have not received your Fuel Allowance by this time, it is pretty likely that the payment season is over. Nonetheless, in case you believe that you are entitled and not received the same, it is recommended that you call the Department of Social Protection and enquire about the same.
How to Apply for Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024
The steps to apply for the Fuel Allowance:
- Apply online on MyWelfare.ie, using your verified MyGovID account.
- If you would prefer to send in your application by post you can, Get the relevant form, either NFS1 if you are under 70 years of age, or NFS2-O/70 if you are over 70 years of age, at your local post office or download it from Gov.ie
- Fill it in and return it to the relevant social welfare office that pays you in the first place, if you receive a social welfare payment.
It’s essential that you claim before the Fuel Allowance season starts, usually late September, to ensure you get the full benefit as claims can’t be backdated.
Ireland Fuel Allowance 2024 Benefits
The Fuel Allowance in Ireland is one of the cornerstones that allow many households the possibility to meet heating expenses during hard winter months. This makes it very important for beneficiaries to know how much is disbursed and by which modality.
Let me spell out here the current payout amount, how it is paid, and additional financial support.
- The value of the Fuel Allowance is €33 per week for the 2023-2024 season. It is intended to help cover heating costs incurred by eligible households during the winter season.
- For the full duration of this 28-week season of the Fuel Allowance from September 25, 2023, to April 5, 2024 applicants can expect this to amount to a total of €924.
- Recipients of the Fuel Allowance can choose how they want to be paid:
- Weekly Payments: €33 a week is the traditional way to receive payment. It is good for the people who would like to have smaller sums frequently this way, one can budget the amounts to heat their houses.
- Lump Sum Payments: The beneficiaries may also be given an option for two big payments. The first lump sum was released in September 2023 and the amount disbursed to people was €462, covering the benefit up to the first 14 weeks. The second lump sum payment will be in January 2024 and it will amount to another €462.