Rules

You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you are getting:

• State Pension (Contributory) or State Pension (Non-Contributory)
• State Pension (Transition)
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension or Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme
• Blind Pension
• Invalidity Pension
• Disability Allowance
• Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory) or Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
• Farm Assist
• Pre-Retirement Allowance
• Prisoner's Wife's Allowance
• Long-term Jobseeker's Allowance
• Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
• Social Security Pension from an EE/EEA country or a country with whom Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement
• Special Department of Defence Allowance
• You are taking part in Back to Work Allowance (BTWA), Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA), Rural Social Scheme, Revenue Job Assist or FÁS Community Employment and are entitled to keep your secondary benefits

And

You live alone or only with:

• A dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and/or dependent children
• Other people getting one of the qualifying payments who would also be eligible for a Fuel Allowance in their own right
• A person who gives you full-time care and attention if you have a disability
• Person(s) getting short-term Jobseeker's Allowance
• Person getting Carer's Allowance

And

You and other members of your household are unable to provide for your heating needs from your own resources.

You will not qualify for a Fuel Allowance if:

• Your heating needs are met under a deed transferring property
• You live with someone who is not getting one of the qualifying payments for the Fuel Allowance
• You are on a contributory payment and have income above the means test limits (see below)

Means test for Fuel Allowance

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment. If you are getting a non-contributory payment you are accepted as satisfying the means-test unless you are also getting a half-rate contributory payment (such as Illness Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit or Injury Benefit) in addition to the non‑contributory payment (such as One-Parent Family Payment).

The Fuel Allowance means test is linked to the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). You can have a combined weekly income of €100 above the maximum State Pension (Contributory) for your situation and still be eligible for a Fuel Allowance. This means that you can have capital of up to €58,000 (equivalent to €100 a week under the capital means assessment rules) and be eligible for a Fuel Allowance.

For example:

• The assessable income limit for a single person under 80 is €330.30 (€100 plus €230.30);
• The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is under 66) is €483.80 (€100 plus €230.30 plus €153.50)
• The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is 66 or over) is €536.60 (€100 plus €230.30 plus €206.30)

If you are over 80, add an extra €10 to the appropriate DSP payment rate.

Getting a pension or benefit from another country

If you are getting a pension/benefit or equivalent payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, you may qualify for a fuel allowance provided you satisfy the qualifying conditions mentioned above and you are:

• Resident in Ireland

And

• Aged 66 or over

Or

• Under 66 and getting an Invalidity Pension/benefit (for over 12 months), a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension or an equivalent payment from another country.

Where more than one person in a household qualifies

Only one Fuel Allowance payment will be paid to a household. If two or more people who each qualify for a Fuel Allowance are living in the same household, a single Fuel Allowance is paid to one qualified person in that household. The table shows who should apply for a Fuel Allowance in the case of two or more qualifying individuals living in the same house.