welfare.ie Fuel Allowance Ireland : Department of Social & Family Affairs

Name of the Organization : Department of Social & Family Affairs
Type of Facility : Fuel Allowance
Country : Ireland

Website : http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Fuel-Allowance.aspx

Fuel Allowance :

A Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months.

Related : Department of Social & Family Affairs Free Travel Companion Pass Ireland : www.statusin.org/8126.html

It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to a household.

The Fuel Allowance season will start on Monday 6 October 2014. (Fuel Allowance is paid with your social welfare payment on the day that you are usually paid).

The Department of Social Protection has published information on what to do if you are in financial difficulty with your energy bills.

Some UK pensioners living in Ireland may be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment from the UK. You can find out more from gov.uk.

Keeping well and warm in winter:
Coping with cold weather can be difficult especially if you are older or have a disability or a long-term illness. The website, wellandwarm.ie, gives information and advice about the supports available to help you and your household keep well and warm during the winter.

You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you are getting:
** State Pension (Contributory) or State Pension (Non-Contributory)
** State Pension (Transition)
** Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension or Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
** Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme
** Blind Pension
** Invalidity Pension
** Disability Allowance
** Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Allowance
** One-Parent Family Payment
** Guardian’s Payment (Contributory) or Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)
** Farm Assist
** Pre-Retirement Allowance
** Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance
** Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance for 391 days (15 months)
** Jobseeker’s Allowance for 391days (15 months) (Fuel Allowance is payable to people who have been getting a jobseeker’s payment for 391 days, if they satisfy the relevant qualifying conditions. Days of unemployment on Jobseeker’s Benefit count towards the 391 days if the Jobseeker’s Benefit claim was immediately before the award of Jobseeker’s Allowance. If you were getting a Fuel Allowance with your One-Parent Family Payment you can keep this when you go onto JA or JA Transition.)
** Social Security Pension from an EE/EEA country or a country with whom Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement (provided there is an equivalent Irish payment).
** Or if you are taking part in certain schemes (Back to Work Allowance (BTWA), Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA), Rural Social Scheme, Tús, JobBridge, Revenue Job Assist or Community Employment) and are entitled to keep your secondary benefits

And:
You live alone or only with:
** A dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and/or dependent children
** Other people getting one of the qualifying payments who would also be eligible for a Fuel Allowance in their own right
** A person who is getting Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Benefit and is caring for you or for your dependent spouse, partner or cohabitant
** A person getting short-term Jobseeker’s Allowance or basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance

And:
You and other members of your household are unable to provide for your heating needs from your own resources.

You will not qualify for a Fuel Allowance if:
** Your heating needs are met under a deed transferring property
** You live with someone who is not getting one of the qualifying payments for the Fuel Allowance
** You are on a contributory payment and have income above the means test limits (see below)

How to apply:
To apply for Fuel Allowance, fill in application form NFS 1 (pdf). This application form is also available from your local post office.

If you apply for the Fuel Allowance after the start of the heating season (in October), the allowance will not be backdated.

If you are getting a payment from the Department of Social Protection or a social security payment from a country covered by EC Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, the Fuel Allowance will be included in your weekly payment. 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 payment.

If you are not getting a social welfare payment, your Fuel Allowance can be paid directly into your account in a financial institution or you can collect the allowance at your local post office using your social services card.

Where to apply:
Complete and return the form to the section that pays your payment, as set out below.

If you are getting one of the following payments:
** Invalidity Pension
** Disability Allowance
** Incapacity Supplement

Send your application to:
Department of Social Protection:
Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
Ireland

Tel:(043) 334 0000
Locall:1890 927 770