Older people · 10 September 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. None of it is automatic. Each one has to be claimed, and 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 each one has its own form.
1. Living Alone Increase, €22 a week
This is the one that opens the door to the others. You get it if you live entirely alone and are on a qualifying payment. State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory), Widow's Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension all count.
"Alone" means alone. If a son stays three nights a week, that is not alone. If a lodger is in the box room, that is not alone. A carer who visits and leaves is fine.
Apply on form LA1 or through MyWelfare. It is not means tested. Full guide.
2. Fuel Allowance, €38 a week
Season starts 21 September. If you are 66 or over you no longer need a qualifying payment, only the means test. 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. But it is the one ALONE is asking to lift to €10 a week in the Budget, so it is 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 that cost nothing
- Seniors Alert Scheme. A free monitored pendant alarm for the over 65s living alone, through Pobal and a local community group. The first year of monitoring is free too. Guide.
- Free Travel. Everyone over 66 gets it. Most people know. Fewer know a companion pass exists if the person cannot travel alone. Guide.
The order to do it in
- Living Alone Increase first (it is needed for number 3).
- Fuel Allowance before 21 September.
- Check Telephone Support appears once 1 and 2 are paid.
- Household Benefits Package any time after 70.
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
How much is the Living Alone Increase in 2026?
€22 a week, paid on top of a qualifying payment such as the State Pension, to people who live entirely 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. Someone who stays overnight regularly, or a lodger, does.
Not sure which grants you can get?
Answer a few questions and the free grant finder checks you against more than 40 Irish grants. No sign-up, nothing to buy.
Check what I qualify for →