The final Fuel Allowance payment for the 2021/2022 period is fast approaching as homeowners are encouraged to apply for the 2022/2023 payments if they're struggling to meet rising costs.
The Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the price of heating your home during the winter months as the cost of living in Ireland continues to skyrocket.
You can get the Fuel Allowance if you are getting a long-term social welfare payment and you are unable to provide for your heating needs from your own resources.
The final weekly fuel allowance payment will be on April 8, 2022, and will restart on September 27, 2022.
READ MORE: Extra €125 Fuel Allowance Payments to be paid to 372,000 households
According to citizens' information, you do not need to reapply for the Fuel Allowance each year as long as your circumstances remain the same and you continue to get the same social welfare payments.
If you are not getting a social welfare payment, your Fuel Allowance can be paid directly into your bank account or you can collect the allowance at your local post office.
If you plan to apply for the first time this year, you need to fill in the application form - NFS 1 - which is available online.
From October 12, 2021, the Fuel Allowance increased from €28 to €33 per week.
For those who were receiving a Lump sum payment, the total Fuel Allowance payment over 28 weeks is now €914 and is paid to you in 2 lump sums.
The first lump sum was paid the week beginning 27 September 2021, and the second lump sum was paid the week beginning 3 January 2022.
In order to be/ remain eligible for the payment, you must be getting one of the following qualifying payments:
Qualifying social insurance payments
- State Pension (Contributory)
- Widow's, Widower's, or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
- Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme
- Invalidity Pension
- Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
- Death Benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme
- A 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)
Qualifying social assistance payments
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Widow's, Widower's, or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
- Disability Allowance
- Blind Pension
- Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
- One-Parent Family Payment (OFP)
- Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)
- Farm Assist
- Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance for more than 455 days
- Jobseeker's Allowance for more than 390 days
- Back to Work Allowance, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA), Rural Social Scheme, Tús or Community Employment and are entitled to keep your secondary benefits
READ MORE: Struggling with inflation? These Irish social welfare payments help employed people
READ MORE: Five people found to have been overpaid more than €200,000 in social welfare
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