Today marks the start of the Fuel Allowance Scheme for the 2025/26 Season.
The means tested payment, will be paid for 28 weeks to 410,000 households across the State.
The payment is made at the weekly rate of €33 or if preferred, by way of two instalment payments of €462 each.
The scheme has been expanded this year to allow more households to qualify.
From January 2025, the over 70s enhanced qualifying conditions were extended to people aged 66 and over.
Minister Niamh Smyth is welcoming this morning’s announcement by the Social Protection Minister Dara Callery.
She says the fuel allowance plays a vital role in supporting hundreds of thousands of families during the winter months.
These enhanced conditions include:
• A person aged over 66 no longer has to be in receipt of a Social Protection payment to apply for Fuel Allowance.
• A single person aged 66 or over can have means of €524 per week while a couple can have means of €1,048 per week.
• In addition, the amount of capital that is disregarded was increased from €20,000 to €50,000.
Furthermore, from January 2025, Carer's Allowance became a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, subject to the applicant meeting all criteria of the Fuel Allowance scheme, including satisfying the means test.
