Older people · 10 September 2026 · updated 21 October 2026
Living alone on the pension? Four payments people forget, worth about €2,900 a year.
Quick answer
A person over 70 living alone on the State Pension can usually get: the Living Alone Increase (€22 a week), Fuel Allowance (€38 a week for 28 weeks), the Telephone Support Allowance (€2.50 a week) and the Household Benefits Package (about €580 a year). That is roughly €2,900 a year. Three of them have to be claimed. The Telephone Support Allowance then follows by itself once the first two are in place, so the order matters.
The four, and what they add up to
| Payment | Rate | A year | Who |
|---|---|---|---|
| Living Alone Increase | €22 a week | €1,144 | Living alone, on a qualifying payment (State Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and others) |
| Fuel Allowance | €38 a week, 28 weeks | €1,064 | 66 or over and under the means test, or under 66 on a qualifying payment |
| Telephone Support Allowance | €2.50 a week | €130 | Getting both the Living Alone Increase and Fuel Allowance |
| Household Benefits Package | €35 a month plus free TV licence | About €580 | 70 or over, no means test |
| Total | About €2,900 |
For a woman in Roscommon on the full State Pension, that is about a month and a half of extra pension every year. Most of it is missed because three of them each have their own form.
From January 2027 (Budget 2027): the Living Alone Increase goes to €25 a week and the Fuel Allowance to €43 a week, and the State Pension (Contributory) to €309.30. The rates in the table are the ones paid now. With the January rise, the Fuel Allowance for the 2026/27 season comes to €1,134 in all.
1. Living Alone Increase, €22 a week
This is the one that opens the door to the others. You get it if you live alone and are on a qualifying payment. State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory), Bereaved Partner's Pension (the old Widow's Pension), Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension all count.
"Alone" has some give in it. If the person is older or frail, a relative or friend who stays at night for security does not stop it. Nor does a relative who stays at weekends but has a home of their own, renting a room to someone who is not family, or a granny flat with its own kitchen and living space. A carer who visits and leaves is fine. Living in the same home as family does stop it, and so does a nursing home.
Apply on form LA1, sent to the section that pays the main pension. It is not means tested. Full guide.
2. Fuel Allowance, €38 a week
The season started on 28 September 2026. If you are 66 or over you no longer need a qualifying payment, only a means test and a rule about who you live with. We wrote about the change here. Not backdated, so apply early.
3. Telephone Support Allowance, €2.50 a week
The forgotten one. You get it if you are on both the Living Alone Increase and Fuel Allowance. Once both are in place it should be added by itself. Check the payment slip. If it is not there, ring the section that pays the main pension and ask.
€130 a year is not life changing. ALONE asked for a €5 rise in Budget 2027, but it stays at €2.50 a week. It is still worth being on it.
4. Household Benefits Package, about €580 a year
€35 a month towards electricity or gas, plus the free TV licence. Over 70 it is automatic in the sense that you qualify. It is not automatic in the sense that anyone applies for you. Form HB1. 116,000 households are missing it.
Two more worth knowing
- Seniors Alert Scheme. A monitored personal alarm for people aged 65 or over on limited means who live alone, or are alone for long stretches, through Pobal and a local community group. The alarm is free if you have a landline, and the first year of monitoring is free. After that there is a yearly fee, about €70 in Pobal's 2024 figures. Guide.
- Free Travel. Everyone over 66 living here gets it. Most people know. Fewer know about the companion pass: everyone over 70 with Free Travel is entitled to one, and under 70 you can apply if a medical condition means you cannot travel alone. Guide.
The order to do it in
- Living Alone Increase first (it is needed for number 3).
- Fuel Allowance as soon as you can. The season started on 28 September and it is not backdated.
- Check Telephone Support appears once 1 and 2 are paid.
- Household Benefits Package any time after 70.
Sources, checked 21 October 2026: gov.ie, Living Alone Increase (updated 7 October 2026); Citizens Information, Living Alone Increase (page edited 7 October 2026); Citizens Information, Telephone Support Allowance; Citizens Information, Fuel Allowance (page edited 16 October 2026); gov.ie, Free Travel Scheme (updated 7 October 2026); Pobal, Seniors Alert Scheme and its leaflet; ALONE, Pre-Budget Submission 2027; Department of Social Protection, Budget 2027 (updated 9 October 2026).
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. The rules are national, but waiting times and local practice differ by county. Pick yours below.
Common questions
How much is the Living Alone Increase in 2026?
€22 a week, rising to €25 a week from January 2027. It is paid on top of a qualifying payment such as the State Pension, to people who live alone. It is not means tested.
What is the Telephone Support Allowance?
A payment of €2.50 a week for people who get both the Living Alone Increase and Fuel Allowance. It should be added automatically once both are in place.
How much extra can a pensioner living alone get in Ireland?
Roughly €2,900 a year from four payments: Living Alone Increase (€1,144), Fuel Allowance (€1,064), Telephone Support Allowance (€130) and the Household Benefits Package (about €580).
Does a carer visiting count as living with me?
No. A carer who visits and leaves does not affect the Living Alone Increase. Some overnight stays do not affect it either: a relative or friend who stays at night for security, or a relative who stays at weekends and has a home of their own. Renting a room to someone who is not family is also allowed.
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