Do you qualify for the winter fuel allowance scheme?

The Fuel Allowance Scheme was introduced in 1988. The aim of the scheme is to assist qualified households in receipt of certain social welfare payments with their heating costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person’s normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full.

The rate of basic Fuel Allowance is €22.50 per week and is paid with the applicant’s primary social welfare payment.

Start dates for the fuel season are listed in the Fuel Circular. The 2016-2017 Fuel Allowance season commences on Monday 3 October 2016 and finishes Friday 31 March 2017

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

1. A. be resident in the State,

AND

1. B. be in receipt of one of the following qualifying payments:
   • Jobseeker’s Allowance (after 391 days*)
   • Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (after 15 months/455 days** )
   • Farm Assist
   • One Parent Family Payment
   • Jobseeker’s Allowance Transition
   • Blind Pension
   • Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Allowance
   • Disability Allowance
   • Invalidity Pension
   • State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
   • Guardian’s Payment (Contributory or Non-Contributory)
   • Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Contributory or Non Contributory)
   • Pre-retirement Allowance (abolished for new claims since 04/07/2007)
   • Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injury Benefit Scheme
   • Death Benefit Pension (Type 15) under Disablement Benefit Section
   • Department of Social Protection Employment Support Schemes and Revenue Job Assist (See Section 1.6.4 below)
   • Social Security Payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement (of which there is an Irish equivalent payment).
2. *This includes those on casual Jobseeker’s Allowance for over 391 days. Days of unemployment on Jobseeker’s Benefit count towards the 391 days if the Jobseeker’s Benefit claim was immediately before the award of Jobseeker’s Allowance.
3. **Basic SWA is paid on a 7 day week basis, therefore 15 months payment is reached on day 455

Please Note:

1. Social Welfare Benefits are not qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance (Jobseeker’s Benefit, Illness Benefit, Occupational Injuries Benefit, Maternity Benefit or Disablement Benefit). Equally if a person is in receipt of a social welfare payment and a benefit e.g. OPFP and JB then Fuel Allowance is not paid.

2. Family Income Supplement (FIS) is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. However, if a person is in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment and FIS they may be entitled to the allowance.

AND

1. C. live alone or only with:
   1. a qualified spouse/ civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren);
   2. a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the allowance in their own right (Please note that the contributory payments listed at B above are qualifying payments subject to satisfying a means test);
   3. a person who is receipt of Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit in respect of providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant or their qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren).
   4. a person receiving short term Jobseeker’s Allowance or Basic SWA (less than 391 days for JA and 15months/455 days for BASI).

Please Note: Fuel Allowance is not paid in the following cases:

• Where a person is living with someone in receipt of a payment other that those outlined at B and C above or is living with a person who is in receipt of SWA pending award of a social welfare payment.
• Where a person is living with someone in receipt of a DSP employment support scheme (e.g CE, TUS, RSS etc) who does not a have entitlement to Fuel Allowance in their own right.

AND

1. D. be unable to provide for their heating needs from the resources of their household. A person applying for a fuel allowance must satisfy a means test. All recipients of non contributory payments are accepted as satisfying the means-test.

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

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