Fuel Allowance Ireland 2026–27: Who Qualifies, Rates and the January Change
Fuel Allowance pays €38 a week towards heating from late September to April, rising to €43 a week from January 2027. At the same time the income limit for a single person aged 66 or over rises from €534 to €640.80 a week, so many retirees with a private or occupational pension who do not qualify today will qualify in January.
Apply as soon as you qualify: Fuel Allowance is not backdated. The 2026/27 season started in the week of 28 September 2026. Every week you have not applied is a week you do not get paid.
Check the means test for your household with the Fuel Allowance calculator: income, savings, couple or single, under or over 66, now and from January.
Who can get Fuel Allowance
- Aged 66 or over: you only need to pass the means test. You do not need to be getting a social welfare payment.
- Under 66: you must be getting a qualifying payment, for example One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Jobseeker’s Allowance for more than 312 days, or Working Family Payment (which brings Fuel Allowance automatically, without an application).
- You must live alone or only with certain people: a partner who qualifies, dependent children, someone aged 66 or over, a lodger, and some others. Only one person in a household gets it.
- You must live in Ireland, and your heating cannot be included in full in your accommodation.
The means test
| Household | Weekly limit 2026 | From January 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 66 or over, single | €534.00 | €640.80 |
| 66 or over, couple | €1068.00 | not yet published |
| Under 66, single | €499.30 | €509.30 (State Pension rule) |
| Under 66, couple (partner under 66) | €698.70 | not yet published |
| Under 66, couple (partner 66 or over) | €767.70 | not yet published |
The under-66 limit is the maximum State Pension (Contributory) for your household plus €200. The figure for a single person from January follows that rule (€309.30 + €200); we will add the others when they are published.
What counts: gross earnings, the State Pension (Contributory), occupational and private pensions, social insurance payments, a UK Winter Fuel Payment, and rent from a second property. What does not: social assistance payments (including Carer’s Allowance), child maintenance, Disablement Benefit, and up to €14,000 a year from renting a room in your home.
Savings and investments (not your home) are turned into weekly means. If you are 66 or over the first €50,000 is ignored (€20,000 under 66), then €1 a week for each €1,000 of the next €10,000, €2 for each €1,000 of the next €10,000, and €4 for each €1,000 above that. So €80,000 of savings at 66 or over counts as €70 a week.
Worked examples: who qualifies now, and from January
| Person | Weekly means | Now (limit €534) | From January (€640.80) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single, 70, State Pension (Contributory) + €250 a week private pension | €549.30 | No | Yes, €43 a week |
| Single, 68, State Pension + €320 a week occupational pension | €619.30 | No | Yes, €43 a week |
| Single, 72, State Pension + €150 a week, €80,000 in savings | €519.30 | Yes, €38 a week | Yes, €43 a week |
The State Pension (Contributory) is counted at the 2026 maximum of €299.30 in every row so the effect of the limit is clear; in January the pension itself rises to €309.30, which adds €10 to each person’s means. Our calculator lets you enter your own figures for either period.
How much you get
- €38 a week until the week of 4 January 2027, then €43 a week, for 28 weeks in all.
- Or in two lump sums: €532 in September and €602 in January for the 2026/27 season (€1,134). The lump sums are not available on some schemes, including Working Family Payment, Community Employment and Tús. To switch, use the Change the Payment Frequency form at least a month before the instalment.
- If you also get the Living Alone Increase, you get a Telephone Support Allowance of €2.50 a week automatically.
How to apply
- Online at MyWelfare.ie with a verified MyGovID account, or
- On paper: form NFS1 if you are under 66, NFS2 if you are 66 or over, from the Department’s website, a post office or 0818 200 400. Your Intreo Centre or Citizens Information Centre can help you fill it in.
- You do not need to reapply each year if your circumstances and payment stay the same.
Check everything your household can claim
Fuel Allowance, the State Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Working Family Payment, Child Benefit and the Rent Tax Credit, in one check with official 2026 and 2027 rates.
What can I claim? →Related
- Fuel Allowance calculator: the means test for your household, now and from January.
- State Pension (Contributory) calculator: your weekly rate from your PRSI record.
- Carer’s Allowance calculator: the means test and weekly rate.
- Budget 2027 calculator: your take-home pay in 2026 against 2027.
Sources
- Citizens Information: Fuel Allowance (qualifying payments, household rules, means test, limits, Budget 2027 changes, lump sums, how to apply; page edited 16 October 2026)
- Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance
Rules and rates read on the linked official pages on 3 November 2026. General information, not advice: the Department of Social Protection decides on your claim.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Fuel Allowance in 2026 and 2027?
€38 a week in 2026, rising to €43 a week from the week of 4 January 2027 (Budget 2027). It is paid for 28 weeks from late September to April, or in two lump sums: €532 in September and €602 in January for the 2026/27 season, €1,134 in all.
Who qualifies for Fuel Allowance?
Anyone aged 66 or over who passes the means test, whether or not they get a social welfare payment, and people under 66 who get a qualifying payment such as One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Invalidity Pension or long-term Jobseeker’s Allowance. You must live alone or only with the people the rules allow, and only one person in a household gets it.
What is the Fuel Allowance income limit?
If you are 66 or over: an average gross weekly income of up to €534 for a single person (€640.80 from January 2027) or €1,068 for a couple. Under 66: the maximum State Pension (Contributory) for your household plus €200, which is €499.30 a week for a single person in 2026.
Is Fuel Allowance backdated?
No. If you apply after the start of the season it is not backdated, so it pays to apply as soon as you qualify. You do not need to reapply each year if your circumstances and payment stay the same.
Do I have to apply if I get Working Family Payment?
No. If you get the Working Family Payment you get Fuel Allowance automatically, as long as no one else in the household gets it and your heating is not included in your accommodation.
How do I apply for Fuel Allowance?
Online at MyWelfare.ie with a verified MyGovID account, or on paper: form NFS1 if you are under 66, form NFS2 if you are 66 or over. Forms are also at post offices or on 0818 200 400.
Cite this article
DecisionsCalc. (2026). Fuel Allowance Ireland 2026–27: Who Qualifies, Rates and the January Change. DecisionsCalc. https://decisionscalc.com/articles/fuel-allowance-ireland/