“ഫ്യൂൽ അലവെൻസ്”: അറിയേണ്ടതെല്ലാം

A Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to a household.

Fuel Allowance is generally paid with your social welfare payment on the same day. You can choose to get Fuel Allowance paid weekly or to get your total allowance paid in 2 lump sums.

The 2020-2021 Fuel Allowance season starts Monday, 28 September 2020 and is expected to run until April 2021.

You may qualify for a Fuel Allowance if you are getting one of the following schemes:

You must also live alone or only with:

  • A dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and/or dependent children (if your dependant is getting half-rate Carer’s Allowance – see ‘Carer’s Allowance’ below)
  • 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 on a full-time basis
  • A person getting COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), 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 do not qualify for a Fuel Allowance if:

  • Your heating needs are met under a deedtransferring property
  • You live with someone who is not getting one of the qualifying payments for the Fuel Allowance
  • You are on a qualifying contributory payment and have income above the means test limits (see below)
  • You are getting one of the following contributory payments: Jobseeker’s Benefit, Illness Benefit, Occupational Injuries Benefit, Maternity Benefit or Disablement Benefit. Note that you do not qualify for Fuel Allowance if you are getting any of these payments with a qualifying payment, for example, a half-rate Maternity Benefit with a One-Parent Family Payment.

Carer’s Allowance

Carer’s Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.

However, you may qualify for Fuel Allowance if you are getting half-rate Carer’s Allowance and another qualifying social welfare payment:

  • If you are getting a non-contributorysocial welfare payment and you or your adult dependant is getting a half-rate Carer’s Allowance, then Fuel Allowance is payable (if you meet all the criteria).
  • If you are getting a contributorysocial welfare payment and you or your adult dependant is getting a half-rate Carer’s Allowance, then the value of the half-rate Carer’s Allowance will be assessed in the means test for Fuel Allowance.

Means test for Fuel Allowance

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment. If you are getting a non-contributory social welfare payment, you are accepted as satisfying the means test. If you are on an employment support scheme or if you are getting a Back to Education Allowance you are entitled to keep your Fuel Allowance if you continue to satisfy the conditions – including the means test.

The Fuel Allowance means test is linked to the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory).

You can have a combined weekly income of €100 above the maximum State Pension (Contributory) for your situation and still be eligible for a Fuel Allowance. This means that you can have capital/savings, providing they are less than €58,000, and be eligible for a Fuel Allowance. (€58,000 is equivalent to just over €100 a week under the capital means assessment rules.)

For example:

  • The assessable income limit for a single person under 80 is €348.30 (€100 plus €248.30)
  • The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is aged under 66) is €513.70 (€100 plus €248.30 plus €165.40)
  • The assessable income limit for a couple (where the qualified adult is aged 66 or over) is €570.80 (€100 plus €248.30 plus €222.50)

If you are over 80, add an extra €10 to the appropriate DEASP payment rate.

Getting a pension or benefit from another country

If you are getting a pension/benefit or equivalent payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement (provided there is an equivalent Irish payment), you may qualify for a Fuel Allowance, provided you satisfy the qualifying conditions mentioned above and you are:

  • Legally resident in Ireland

And

  • Aged 66 or over

Or

  • Under 66 and getting an Invalidity Pension (for over 12 months), a Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension or an equivalent payment from another country.

Where more than one person in a household qualifies

Only one Fuel Allowance payment is paid to a household. If two or more people who would qualify for a Fuel Allowance live together, a single Fuel Allowance is paid to one qualified person in that household.

If everyone in the household is getting a means-tested social welfare payment, they can decide who applies for Fuel Allowance.

If one of the people living in the household is getting a contributory (non means-tested) payment, such as State Pension (Contributory) or Invalidity Pension, they should apply first (so a means test can be carried out on their income). Alternatively, the other person can apply for Fuel Allowance but they must include information about the means of the person getting a contributory payment in their application.

Who should apply for a Fuel Allowance if two or more qualifying people live in the same household
Payment Person who should apply for Fuel Allowance
Contributory social welfare pension and long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance Social welfare pensioner
Pre-Retirement Allowance and contributory social welfare pension Social welfare pensioner
Pre-Retirement Allowance and long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance Person receiving Pre-Retirement Allowance
Contributory social welfare pension and social security payment from another country Social welfare pensioner
Social security payment from another country and Long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance Social security pensioner

Telephone Support Allowance

Since 4 June 2018, if you are getting Fuel Allowance as well as the Living Alone Increase, you automatically qualify for a Telephone Support Allowance of €2.50 per week. It is paid separately from your primary payment and is intended to help with the cost of communications and/or a home alert system. As this allowance is paid automatically to people who qualify, you do not need to apply for it.

The Department has published useful FAQs about the Telephone Support Allowance.

Rates

Weekly payments

The Fuel Allowance is paid during the fuel season. Usually this runs from October to April each year for 28 weeks.

The Fuel Allowance is €24.50 weekly. You can also be paid in 2 lump sums.

If you have not chosen to be paid in 2 lump sums and you wish to do so – see ‘Choosing lump sum or weekly payments’ below.

How to apply

If you are applying for Fuel Allowance for the first time you need to fill in application form NFS 1 (pdf). This application form is also available from your local post office. You can also request it by texting FORM FUEL followed by your name and address to 51909.

If you apply for the Fuel Allowance after the start of the Fuel Allowance season, it will not be backdated.

If you are getting a payment from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection or a social security payment from a country covered by EU 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.

Choosing lump sum or weekly payments

You can get your Fuel Allowance paid weekly or in 2 lump sums. The first lump sum is normally paid in early October and the second payment is in January.

To get your Fuel Allowance paid in two lump sums, fill in the Change the Payment Frequency form (pdf) at least one month before the first lump sum is due.

This option is not available to people getting payments under the Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Gateway, Community Employment or Supplementary Welfare Allowance.

Where to apply

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

Where to apply
Payment Send your application to:
·         Invalidity Pension

·         Disability Allowance

·         Incapacity Supplement

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
Ireland

Tel: (043) 334 0000 (If calling from outside of Ireland please call + 353 43 334 0000)

Locall: 1890 927 770 (Note: the rates charged for using 1890 (Lo-call) numbers may vary)

Homepage: https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/

·         Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension

·         Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension

·         Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Allowance

·         State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory)

·         Blind Pension

·         Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)

·         Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)

·         Prisoner’s Wife’s Allowance

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Services
College Road
Sligo F91 T384
Ireland

Opening Hours: This office does not offer a service to personal callers. All queries must be made using the online enquiry form, by telephone or in writing.

Tel: (071) 915 7100

Locall: 1890 500 000 (Note: the rates charged for using 1890 (Lo-call) numbers may vary)

Homepage: https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/

·         Long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance (15 months)

·         Farm Assist

·         One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment

Send your completed form to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
·         Long-term Supplementary Welfare Allowance (15 months) Apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection’s representative (formerly known as the Community Welfare Officer) at your local office.
·         People getting a social security payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral social security agreement (provided there is an equivalent Irish payment)

National Fuel Scheme

Social Welfare Services

College Road
Sligo F91 T384
Ireland

Tel: (071) 915 7100 (If calling from outside the Republic of Ireland please call + 353 71 915 7100)

Locall: 1890 500 000 (Note: the rates charged for using 1890 (Lo-call) numbers may vary)

Homepage: https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/

Share This News

Related posts

Leave a Comment