The introduction of new qualifying rules for fuel allowance will come as a welcome change for retired civil and public servants. These changes will take effect from January 2025.

Fuel allowance is a payment available to retired and unemployed people to help with the cost of home heating during the colder half of the year. The payment is intended to prevent people on fixed incomes from facing the decision ‘to eat or to heat’.

The qualifying requirement for people aged 66 or over to receive a weekly social welfare payment will be dropped. This means that going forward fuel allowance will be open to Class B and D PRSI civil and public servants.

Weekly income limits will also be raised, allowing more people than ever to qualify for fuel allowance. The limit for single people will rise to €524 (before tax) a week, while the limit for couples will rise to a combined income of €1,048 a week.

Fuel allowance is a means tested payment. There is positive movement in this regard as well. The amount of savings and investments that are not counted will double for people aged 66 and over. The amount will rise to €50,000 not counted.

ICTU’s Retired Workers’ Committee has produced a leaflet to inform workers of fuel allowance, the upcoming changes, and the fuel allowance-related energy efficiency improvements scheme.

Committee member and Chair of Fórsa’s Retired Members Branch, Martin Bridgeman, spoke on the leaflet saying: “staying warm over the winter months is important to staying healthy, especially as you get older. We wanted to make sure that our retired members know that this payment is available to help pay the bills.”

“We also hope that our members who are still working will share the leaflet with their older friends and family. No one should go cold this winter," he continued.

This year the fuel allowance period will run for 28 weeks, from Monday 23rd September 2024 until Friday 4 April 2025.

The payment is worth €924 a year per household. It can either be taken in two lump sum payments of €462, paid in September and January, or €33 a week over the 28-week period.

Applying online will require a MyGov account. To apply online go here.

Printed form applications must be sent to different locations depending on which payments an applicant receives. For more information go here.

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