Older people · 10 September 2026
Fuel Allowance is back on 21 September. Over 66? The old rule is gone.
Quick answer
Fuel Allowance starts again on Monday 21 September 2026 and runs 28 weeks to early April 2027. It is €38 a week, or two lump sums of €532 (late September and the first week of January). If you are 66 or over you no longer need a qualifying payment. You only need to pass the means test: income under €534 a week single, €1,068 a couple, with the first €50,000 of savings ignored. It is not backdated, so apply now.
What is happening on 21 September
The Fuel Allowance season for 2026/27 opens on Monday 21 September. The Department of Social Protection has confirmed the date. Payments run for 28 weeks and finish in the first days of April 2027.
- €38 a week, paid with your main payment.
- Or take it as two lump sums of €532. The first lands in the last week of September, the second in the first week of January.
- One payment per household. Two people in the same house cannot both claim it.
The rule that changed for the over 66s
This is the bit most families have not caught up on.
Until recently you had to be on a "qualifying payment" to get Fuel Allowance. State Pension, Disability Allowance, that kind of thing. Plenty of people over 66 on a small private pension were locked out.
That rule is gone for anyone aged 66 or over. Now there is only a means test:
- Income under €534 a week if you are single.
- Income under €1,068 a week for a couple.
- The first €50,000 of savings is ignored. Above that, savings are turned into a notional weekly income.
So a widow in Mayo on the State Pension and a small work pension, with €40,000 in the credit union, qualifies. Two years ago she probably did not.
If you are under 66, nothing has changed. You still need a qualifying payment such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer's Allowance or long-term Jobseeker's Allowance.
Why you need to apply before the start date
Fuel Allowance is not backdated. If your mother in Cork applies in November, she gets it from November. The weeks from September are gone.
If she got it last winter and nothing has changed, she does not need to reapply. It restarts by itself.
If she has never claimed it, or was refused under the old rule, apply now:
- Online at MyWelfare.ie with a verified MyGovID, or
- On paper form NFS2 (66 or over) or NFS1 (under 66), from the post office or Intreo, posted to the Fuel Allowance section.
You need a PPS number and a rough figure for household income and savings. That is it.
Two things that come with it
Getting Fuel Allowance opens two more doors that people miss.
- Warmer Homes Scheme. Fuel Allowance is a passport to free insulation from SEAI. Attic, walls, sometimes heating. Free, no cap on the works, but the waiting list is long so get on it early. Our Warmer Homes guide.
- Telephone Support Allowance. €2.50 a week if you get Fuel Allowance and the Living Alone Increase. Small, but automatic once both are in place. Living Alone Increase guide.
A note on the Budget
Budget 2027 is on 6 October. Older people's groups are asking for a bigger Fuel Allowance. Do not wait for it. Apply now under the current rules. If the rate goes up, it goes up for everyone already on it.
One more thing. The payments above are national and come from the Department of Social Protection. If the house itself is the problem, the stairs, the bath, the step at the front door, that is a separate grant from the county council. It pays up to €40,000 and the rules and waiting times differ by county. Pick yours below.
Common questions
When does Fuel Allowance start in 2026?
The 2026/27 Fuel Allowance season starts on Monday 21 September 2026 and runs for 28 weeks, finishing in early April 2027.
How much is Fuel Allowance in 2026?
€38 a week. You can take it weekly with your main payment or as two lump sums of €532, one in late September and one in the first week of January.
Do I need to be on a welfare payment to get Fuel Allowance?
Not if you are 66 or over. You only need to pass the means test: income under €534 a week single or €1,068 a couple, with the first €50,000 of savings ignored. Under 66 you still need a qualifying payment.
Is Fuel Allowance backdated?
No. It is paid from the date you apply, or from the start of the season if you apply before it. Apply before 21 September to get the full 28 weeks.
Not sure your parent is getting everything?
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