Fuel Allowance helps with heating costs from September to April. Find out if you qualify and apply on MyWelfare before the season starts, because late claims are not backdated.
Fuel Allowance is a weekly payment from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to help with heating from late September to April. It is €38 a week and you apply for free on MyWelfare or by post.
Who this is for
- Aged 66 or over: you do not need another payment. You must pass a means test.
- Under 66: you must get a qualifying payment, such as Carer's Allowance, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, One-Parent Family Payment, or Jobseeker's Allowance (if you qualify).
- You live alone, or only with certain people, such as dependent children or someone aged 66 or over.
- Only one person in each household can get it.
- If you get Working Family Payment, you get Fuel Allowance without applying, if you meet the conditions. This started in January 2026.
What you need
- A MyGovID account to apply online
- Your PPS (Personal Public Service) number
- Details of your weekly income and your partner's, including any pensions
- Details of savings and any property other than your home
- The names of everyone who lives with you
- Form NFS1 (under 66) or NFS2 (66 and over) if you apply by post
Step by step
- Check you qualify on the gov.ie Fuel Allowance page.
- Log in to MyWelfare with your MyGovID and choose Fuel Allowance.
- Fill in your household, income and savings details and submit.
- To apply by post, get form NFS1 or NFS2 from the gov.ie page or your post office, or call 0818 200 400.
- Send a paper form to the office that pays your main payment. For Carer's Allowance or Disability Allowance, that is Social Welfare Services Office, Longford.
- If you are 66 or over with no social welfare payment, send it to Social Welfare Services in Sligo.
- To get the money in two lump sums, ask for form FA CPF1. This is not open on all schemes.
You cannot apply online if you get long-term Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, Farm Assist or One-Parent Family Payment. Send a paper form to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office instead.
How much it costs and how long it takes
| Item | Now | From January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly rate | €38 | €43 |
| Each of two lump sums | €532 | €602 (January lump sum) |
| Income limit, single, 66 or over | €534 a week | €640.80 a week |
| Income limit, couple, 66 or over | €1,068 a week | To check |
| Savings ignored, 66 or over | €50,000 | No change announced |
| Savings ignored, under 66 | €20,000 | No change announced |
There is no separate limit for people over 70. The 66-and-over rules apply. Under 66, your means must be below the maximum State Pension (Contributory) plus €200.
Common mistakes
- Applying late. Claims made after the season starts are not backdated.
- Thinking you need another social welfare payment. From 66 you only need to pass the means test.
- Forgetting a UK Winter Fuel Payment. It counts as income.
- Reapplying every year. You do not need to if your payment and situation stay the same.
Carer's Allowance in the house stops me getting Fuel Allowance.
Carer's Allowance, including half-rate, is not counted as income in the Fuel Allowance means test.
If something goes wrong
- Social Welfare Services Office, Longford: (043) 334 0000 or 0818 927770.
- Social Welfare Services, Sligo: 071 9157100 or 0818 200400.
- Working Family Payment queries: 0818 300600 or 074 9164575, or WFPFuel@welfare.ie.
- Citizens Information Phone Service: 0818 07 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm.
Related guides
- How to apply for the Household Benefits Package
- How to apply for the State Pension (Contributory)
- How to apply for Carer's Allowance
- How to apply for the Working Family Payment
- How to get a verified MyGovID
Weekly rate rises to €43 and the single 66+ income limit to €640.80 (Budget 2027)
Second lump sum paid to those on two instalments
2026-27 season ends
