When Is the Next Fuel Allowance Payment for 2024?

The next fuel allowance payment begins in September 2024 at a rate yet to be announced.  The fuel allowance in Ireland was set at €33 per week for a total of 28 weeks from September 2023 to April 2024. In total, recipients received a total of €924 during that time. To be eligible for the fuel allowance, you must meet certain criteria as laid out by the Department of Social Protection.

Fuel Allowance 2024/25: What You Need to Know

The second round of payments for the year 2024 will begin in September 2024 and run to April 2025.

The government's annual budget, announced in October, will introduce any changes to the Fuel Allowance and other financial schemes, including eligibility and amounts paid for 2025.

As we are still waiting for the budget announcement for 2025, at this moment we don't know if there will be any changes to the fuel allowance for 2025.

Given the ongoing issue with energy costs, it is likely the government will not make many changes to the annual fuel allowance and may even continue to offer the one-time, €300 payment to current beneficiaries that was introduced in the budget for 2024.

What Is the Fuel Allowance?

The Fuel Allowance is a payment that aims to help people in vulnerable situations in Ireland pay for heating during the winter months. The figure is set by the government annually as part of the national budget.

It’s paid on a per household basis, so only one member of a household can receive it, and it is usually paid weekly or in instalments.

The Fuel Allowance should not be confused for the Free Electricity Allowance, which is part of the household benefits package and designed to help those who struggle to pay their electricity bills.

How Is the Fuel Allowance Paid?

The Fuel Allowance in Ireland can be received in two different ways:

1. Paid as a weekly €33 payment during the fuel season (usually from September to April for 28 weeks)
2. two fuel allowance lump-sum payments, which are typically paid in October and January.

If you chose to receive your fuel allowance in lump-sum payments for the 2023/2024 season, the first one should have been for €462 and the second as well.

What if I receive benefits and other weekly payments? For those that receive weekly payments, the Fuel Allowance is typically paid together with your usual pension or benefit. If you do not receive a social welfare payment, your Fuel Allowance will be paid directly into your bank account, or you can also collect it at your local post office.

Am I Eligible for the Fuel Allowance?

There are three conditions you need to meet when checking to see if you’re eligible for the Fuel Allowance in Ireland. You must be eligible in each category in order to qualify.

You will need to be:

1. Living alone
2. Receive a qualifying payment (social welfare payment)
3. Pass the means test

Do I Need To Live Alone for the Fuel Allowance?

The first consideration for eligibility is your living situation. You must either be living alone or with one of the following:

1. Dependents
   Dependent occupants such as a spouse, civil partner, or children.
2. Other Qualifiers
   Other occupants who would also qualify for the Fuel Allowance in Ireland.
3. Carer’s Benefit Recipient
   A person who is receiving the carer’s benefit and caring for you or your dependants full-time.
4. Jobseeker’s Allowance Recipient
   A person receiving the jobseeker’s allowance or the basic supplementary welfare allowance.

What Are the Qualifying Payments for the Fuel Allowance?

Secondly, you will need to be receiving one of the following qualifying benefits in order to be eligible for the Fuel Allowance:

• State pension
• Widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension
• Incapacity supplement
• Blind pension
• Invalidity pension
• Disability allowance
• Deserted wife’s allowance
• One-parent family payment
• Guardian’s payment
• Farm assist
• Pre-retirement allowance
• Basic supplementary welfare allowance (for more than 455 days)
• Jobseekers allowance (for more than 390 days)
• Jobseekers transitional payment
• Death benefit (under the occupational injuries scheme)

What Is the Fuel Allowance Means Test?

Finally, in order to receive the Fuel Allowance, you need to pass the means test to show that your income is below the threshold in order to receive help.

This means that your weekly income (before taxes) needs to be below a certain amount before you can receive the Fuel Allowance.

The amount of money you have also extends to your wealth:

1. Income Limits
   If you’re under 70, your income can’t be over the rate for State Pension plus another €200. This is called the assessable income limit, which is €465.30 a week for a single person and €642 for a couple.

   If you’re over 70, you can have an income of up to €500 a week.

2. Capital
   If you are under 70, the first €20,000 of your investments, savings, property, or shares are not taken into account.

   If you’re over 70, this is the first €50,000.

Can I Still Switch Energy Providers While on the Fuel Allowance? You’ll still be able to switch energy providers while you’re on the Fuel Allowance. Since the Fuel Allowance is paid directly to you, it’s not discounted from your energy bill automatically, so it doesn’t depend on the energy provider you’re with. Our energy guide can help learn more about saving on electricity.

Compare Electricity Prices and Find The Cheapest Deal For You

How Do I Apply for the Fuel Allowance?

You can apply for the Fuel Allowance online by using your MyGovID account.

If you prefer to apply by post, you must fill out one of the two following documents.

1. If you are aged under 70, fill in the NFS1 form
2. If you are over 70, fill in the NFS2 form.

You can either print this document yourself or pick it up from any post office.

When filling in the Fuel Allowance form, don’t forget to indicate whether you’d prefer to receive weekly or lump-sum payments. If you’ve already applied or qualified for the allowance and later changed your mind about how you’d prefer to be paid, you can still change it by filling in the CPF1 form.

Once you have filled out the Fuel Allowance form, you will need to send it to the relevant government department that issues your benefit payment.

Below, you will find the necessary postal addresses for the corresponding government department where you can send your application: