Cost of living Ireland: Thousands set for €532 payment to help heat their home this week
Thousands of people are set for a payment of €532 to help heat their home this weekThe Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. It is paid to only one person in a household.The Fuel Allowance season normally begins in late September of each year and ends in April, paid at €33 weekly for 28 weeks or in two lump sums that were worth a combined €924. However, the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance has now risen as of January by €5 to €38 per week, pushing it to over €1,000 in total.As well as this, the Working Family Payment will become a qualifying payment for the Fuel Allowance. The rate increase comes into effect from January, meaning the second lump sum, expected to be paid out during this week, will be €532.To get Fuel Allowance you must:Be 66 or overBe under 66 and get a qualifying social welfare paymentLive alone (or only with certain people listed below)Satisfy a means testYou must also live in Ireland. You cannot get Fuel Allowance if your heating costs are provided in full as part of your accommodation.To get Fuel Allowance, you must live alone, or with:A spouse, civil partner or cohabitant who qualifies for an increase on your pension or social welfare payment, or is getting a qualifying payment in their own rightDependent childrenA person who gets Carer's Benefit, and who is caring for you or for your spouse, partner or cohabitant, or for a qualified child dependant on a full-time basisA person getting short-term Jobseeker's Allowance (less than 312 days) or basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (less than 364 days)A person getting a qualifying payment (for example, long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance) and who would be eligible for a Fuel Allowance in their own rightA person aged 66 or overA person renting a room from you, where this doesn’t affect your entitlement to Fuel AllowanceA person you provide accommodation to in your own home, and for whom you get the Accommodation Recognition PaymentIf you are 66 or over, you don’t need to be getting a qualifying social welfare payment to get Fuel Allowance. However, you must satisfy a means test.If you are under 66 years of age, you must be getting a qualifying social welfare payment:State Pension (Contributory)Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) PensionIncapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit schemeInvalidity PensionGuardian's Payment (Contributory)Death Benefit under the Occupational Injuries SchemeA pension or benefit from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement (provided there is an equivalent Irish payment)One Parent Family PaymentCarer's AllowanceDisability AllowanceBlind PensionBereaved Partner's (Non-Contributory) PensionDeserted Wife's Benefit or Deserted Wife's AllowanceGuardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)Farm AssistJobseeker's Transitional payment (JST)You can qualify if you have been getting Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance for more than a year. You qualify if you have been getting Jobseeker's Allowance for more than 312 daysYou can keep your Fuel Allowance if you move to Jobseeker’s Allowance from One Parent Family Payment, Carer’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment. There are variations on qualifying payments and you can check out all the details here.Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
