National Fuel Scheme

FUEL ALLOWANCE

Table of Contents

Part 1: ENTITLEMENT

Origin of schemes
Purpose of the Fuel Schemes
Information Leaflet
Administration
Duration of the scheme
Qualifying Conditions
Persons receiving payment from another country
Special Categories
Rates Structure

PART 2: CLAIMS FOR FUEL ALLOWANCE

Claims

APPENDIX A ‑ QUALIFYING PAYMENTS FOR THE NATIONAL FUEL SCHEME

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Part 1: ENTITLEMENT

Origin of schemes

The Fuel Allowance was introduced in 1987 as a result of a Government decision to rationalise the Urban and National Fuel Schemes which existed at that time.

The rate of basic fuel allowance is 20 per week.

Purpose of the Fuel Schemes

The aim of the Fuel Allowance is to assist qualified householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or HSE payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs.

Information Leaflet

SW 17: Fuel Allowance

Administration

The Department of Social Protection administers the fuel schemes for all those in receipt of payments from the Department. The regional Health Service Executives have responsibility for the payment of fuel allowances to recipients of:

(a) Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance;
(b) Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance.

Duration of the scheme

The scheme runs for a period of 32 weeks every year i.e. from the end of September to May and is normally paid as part of a person's weekly payment.

Qualifying Conditions

To qualify for a fuel allowance under the Fuel Allowance a person must satisfy a number of criteria, as follows:

• If a person's heating needs are being met under the terms of a deed transferring property, a fuel allowance will not be paid.

A person applying for a fuel allowance must satisfy a means test. All non‑contributory recipients are accepted as satisfying the means-test except for those who, in addition to the non‑contributory payment (e.g. One-Parent Family Payment or Widow's Pension), are also in receipt of a half rate contributory payment (e.g. Illness Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit or Injury Benefit). (For a complete list of circumstances in which half rate payments are allowed, see the "Overlapping Payments" Guideline.)

The standard capital means assessment rules for State Pension (contributory) purposes apply to fuel allowance applicants who have capital, i.e. they may have of capital of up to 58,000 (i.e., equivalent to 100.00 a week under capital means assessment rules) in addition to income of up to the maximum State Pension rate, and still be eligible to receive a fuel allowance

Note: Persons that reside in Local Authority Housing where heating is provided at a subsidised level may now also qualify for an allowance if they satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme.

Persons receiving payment from another country

In addition to satisfying the conditions set out at A and B above a person receiving a pension/benefit from another country may qualify for the allowance paid under the Fuel Allowance if

• he or she is in receipt of a pension/benefit or equivalent payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security agreement (this includes the USA);

AND

• he or she is resident in Ireland;

AND

• he or she is aged 66 or over, OR if aged under 66 is in receipt of an Invalidity Pension/Benefit for over 12 months, or a Widow's/Widower's Pension or an equivalent payment from another country.
  

Special Categories

Participants on Back to Work Allowance (BTWA), Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA), Rural Social Scheme, Revenue Job Assist - may retain the fuel allowance as a secondary benefit subject to other scheme conditions being satisfied. This only applies if the participant qualified for the allowance prior to participating on the scheme. The fuel allowance is paid by this Department in these cases.

Participants on the FS - Community Employment may retain the fuel allowance as a secondary benefit subject to other scheme conditions being satisfied. This only applies if the participant qualified for the allowance prior to participating on the scheme. The fuel allowance is paid by FS in these cases.

Where such participants reside in the same household as an eligible social welfare recipient, it is the social welfare recipient who should make the initial application.

Rates Structure

The rates of the fuel allowance and the smokeless fuel allowance are shown in the Rates of Payment booklet SW19

PART 2: CLAIMS FOR FUEL ALLOWANCE

Claims

A person should apply to the office of the Department which pays their pension/allowance.

If a person is in receipt of long-term Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit they should apply at their local Social Welfare Office.

If a person is in receipt of a payment from a Health Service Executive they should apply to the Community Welfare Officer at their local health centre.

If a person thinks he/she is eligible for a fuel allowance, he/she should apply without delay as the allowance cannot be backdated.

APPENDIX A ‑ QUALIFYING PAYMENTS FOR THE NATIONAL FUEL SCHEME

• Blind Pension
• Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
• Disability Allowance
• Employment schemes e.g. Back-to-Work, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Job Start, Revenue Job Assist, Job Initiative, Community Services Programme/Social Economy Programme (Grant Aided Employees) and Rural Social Scheme.
• Farm Assist
• Infectious Diseases Maintenance Allowance
• Invalidity Pension
• State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
• One Parent Family Payment
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
• Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
• Pre-retirement Allowance (PRETA)
• Prisoners Wife's Allowance
• State Pension (transition)
• Special Department of Defence Allowance
• Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
• Jobseeker's Allowance at the Long-term rate(including smallholders)
• Incapacity Supplement
• Widow's and Widower's (Contributory or Non-contributory) Pension

Note
Injury Benefit and Disablement Benefit are not qualifying payments for receipt of the fuel allowances.

Social Security Pensions from other countries follows:

• American Social Security Pension;
• Australian Social Security Pension;
• Austrian Social Security Pension;
• Canadian Social Security Pension;
• EU Social Security Pension;
• New Zealand Social Security Pension;
• Swiss Social Security Pension;
• Quebec Social Security Pension;

Income Limits 2011/2012 fuel season

An applicant and members of his/her household may have a combined assessable income of up to 100.00 a week above the appropriate maximum State Pension (Contributory) rate. The following assessable income limits therefore apply:

(i) 330.30 for a single person under 80 years (100 plus 230.30);

(ii) 483.80 for a couple, where the qualified adult is under 66 years (100 plus 230.30 plus 153.50);

(iii) 536.30 for a couple, where the qualified adult is 66 years or over (100 plus 230.30 plus 206.30);

In the case of applicants over 80 years of age, an extra allowance of 10.00 may be applied to the appropriate social welfare rate.

Applicable Dates for 2011/2012 fuel season

The scheme starts week commencing Monday 26th September 2011 and will operate for a period of 32 weeks (14 weeks in 2011 and 18 weeks in 2012) up to and including week ending Friday 4^th May 2012.