The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, has announced the start of the National Fuel Allowance Scheme for the 2022/23 Season.
The €400 lump-sum payment for all households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance will be paid on the week commencing November 14th.
The additional payment was announced as part of Budget 2023, bringing the total value of the Fuel Allowance (weekly payments plus lump sum) to €1,324 per household.
The fuel allowance is a means-assessed payment and will be paid for 28 weeks to over 371,000 households across the state.
The allowance is made at the weekly rate of €33 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments.
The scheme will also be expanded in January, adding a further 81,000 households with a new means test for people over 70.
The new means test for those over the 70s will increase the weekly cut-off point to €200 above the weekly Contributory State Pension rate.
Commenting on the launch of the scheme today, Minister Humphreys said: “The fuel allowance plays a vital role in supporting hundreds of thousands of households with their heating costs over the winter months.”
“In order to ease the pressure and stress that many households are currently facing, an additional €400 lump sum cost-of-living payment will be made to all households in receipt of fuel allowance in mid-November. This will bring the total value of the Fuel Allowance to €1,324 per household,” she added.