Fuel Allowance
€38 a week towards heating costs, paid during the fuel season.
The 2026/27 season runs for 28 weeks, from the week of 28 September 2026 to 9 April 2027. The 2025/26 season ran to 1 May 2026 after a 4-week extension.
Last checked October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026
What it is
€38 a week through the fuel season, which runs from late September to April, about 28 weeks and the last one was extended by a further 4 weeks to 1 May 2026. At 66 or over you do NOT need to be on a qualifying social welfare payment at all, which catches plenty of people out: your weekly means, mainly your gross income plus a small amount for savings over €50,000, can be up to €534 a week (€1,068 for a couple) and you still qualify. Under 66 you do need a qualifying payment and the list is long, taking in Carer's Allowance, Blind Pension, Disability Allowance and the Bereaved Partner's pensions among others. Working Family Payment is on that list too. On Carer's Allowance or a contributory payment such as Invalidity Pension your household also has to pass a means test. If you get Working Family Payment you do not have to apply for Fuel Allowance at all, because it is assessed for you. You need to be legally resident and living alone or only with other qualified people and you cannot get it if your heating is provided in full as part of your accommodation. Savings are treated kindly: the first €20,000 is ignored under 66 and the first €50,000 at 66 or over. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid per household, so if you live with someone aged 66 or over it may be better for them to apply. The 2026/27 season started the week of 28 September 2026 and runs for 28 weeks to 9 April 2027. Budget 2027 announced that the weekly rate rises from €38 to €43. The Department's worked examples say the increase is for the period from 1 January 2027, with first payments from March. It also announced that the income limit for a single person aged 66 or over will rise from half to 60% of the couple limit. The Department's Budget 2027 page and factsheet give no start date for that change and no new limit in euro, so check with the Department.
Who can get it
- You are 66 or over and pass a means test (you do not need to be on a welfare payment)
- Or you are under 66 and on a qualifying payment, such as Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance, Invalidity Pension, One-Parent Family Payment, Working Family Payment or Jobseeker's Allowance once you have been on it for more than 312 days (about a year). On Carer's Allowance or a contributory payment such as Invalidity Pension your household also has to pass a means test
- You live alone, or only with a spouse or partner, dependent family members or other qualifying people
- Only one Fuel Allowance is paid per household.
- You do not need to reapply each year, as long as your circumstances have not changed and you keep getting the same social welfare payment.
- Under 66, where a means test applies, the weekly means limit is €499.30 for a single person and €698.70 for a couple where the spouse or partner is also under 66.
- You can choose to be paid in two instalments instead of weekly, one at the start of the season and one in January. Use form FA CPF1, at least one month before the season starts. It is not available on all payments, including Working Family Payment, Supplementary Welfare Allowance, Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme.
- The 2026/27 season started the week of 28 September 2026, so apply as soon as you can. Applying late can mean missing weeks.
- From 28 September 2026, if you move from Disability Allowance or Blind Pension into employment, you may be able to keep your Fuel Allowance for up to 5 years. You must have been entitled to Fuel Allowance just before you started employment. The same applies if you went from either payment onto an approved employment support or training programme and then into employment on or after 28 September 2026.
How to apply
Applications go through DSP. The official page has the full eligibility rules and the application itself.
Go to the official page →Checked against the official source on 7 October 2026. Last updated on 20 October 2026. Always confirm the details on the official page before applying.
Questions people ask
How much is the Fuel Allowance in 2026?
It is €38 a week during the fuel season. The 2026/27 season runs for 28 weeks, from the week of 28 September 2026 to 9 April 2027. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid per household.
Can I get Fuel Allowance if I work?
Yes, in two ways. If you get Working Family Payment you get Fuel Allowance automatically, with no separate application, as long as you meet the other conditions such as only one Fuel Allowance per household. At 66 or over you can qualify on a means test without being on a welfare payment. Your wages count towards the €534 a week limit. Under 66 and not on Working Family Payment, you usually need another qualifying payment.
When should I apply?
As soon as you can. The 2026/27 season started the week of 28 September 2026 and applying late can mean missing weeks.
Related guides
- Carer's Allowance
- Carer's Support Grant
- Domiciliary Care Allowance
- Carer's Benefit
- Home Carer Tax Credit
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