What help can you get paying your energy bills?
If you struggle to pay the day to day costs of running your home, you could qualify for a helping hand with your energy bills. Here are some of the grants and allowances that could help cut the cost of your gas and electricity.
Latest UpdateBudget 2026 brings extra support for energy costs
07/10/2025: Budget 2026 introduced several measures to help households with rising living costs, including:
- The Fuel Allowance weekly rate will rise by €5 to €38 per week, and eligibility is expanding to include families on the Working Family Payment.
- All core social welfare payments, including the State Pension and Jobseeker’s Benefit, will increase by €10 per week from January 2026.
- The reduced 9% VAT rate on gas and electricity has also been extended, helping to keep energy bills lower through winter.
Household Benefits Package
The Household Benefits Package is a set of allowances to help towards the cost of running your home.
If you’re eligible for the Household Benefits Package, you could get:
To get the Household Benefits Package you must:
- Be living in Ireland full-time
- Be the only person in your household to receive it
- Have the electricity or gas bill in your name
- Aged 70 or over or aged between 66 and 70 and getting a state pension
- Aged under 70 and meet the additional rules for ‘People aged under 70.’
Only one person per household can receive it. Apply online at MyWelfare.ie or by post using the Household Benefit Package form (HB1).
How to apply
Apply for the Households Benefits Package online, by visiting the MyWelfare website.
If you can’t apply online, you can fill in the Household Benefit Package application form (pdf) and return it to the address listed on the back.
Find out more about the package and check if you qualify on Gov.ie.
Fuel Allowance
The Fuel Allowance helps with heating costs during the colder months.
The 2025/26 Fuel Allowance starts on Monday, 22 September 2025 and is paid for 28 weeks until early April 2026.
If you’re getting certain social welfare payments, you’ll qualify for the which helps with the cost of heating your home during the winter months.
You can choose to get the Fuel Allowance paid every week or paid in two instalments.
That’s €989 in total for the 2025/26 winter season.
How to apply
Apply online via MyWelfare or download a paper form (NFS1 form if under 66, NFS2 form if over 66).
Our guide How to claim the Fuel Allowance covers more about qualifying criteria, applying, and how to change your payment type.
If you apply later in the year, your payments will not be backdated.
Key updates for 2025/26
From January 2025, the scheme was expanded to make it easier for older people to qualify:
- The enhanced conditions now apply to anyone aged 66 and over (previously 70+).
- You don’t need to be receiving a social welfare payment to qualify, as long as you meet the other rules.
- Income limits have increased to €524 per week for a single person and €1,048 per week for a couple.
- Up to €50,000 in savings is now disregarded when your means are assessed (up from €20,000).
- Carer’s Allowance is now a qualifying payment, once you meet the means test and other scheme rules.
As part of Budget 2026, from January 2026, weekly fuel allowance rate to increase by €5 to €38, with eligibility extended to all households receiving the working family payment
*Some participants in employment or community schemes (e.g. Tús, CE, RSS) can’t opt for the lump-sum payment.
Additional Needs Payment
If you’re on a low income or getting social welfare, you may be able to get an Additional Needs Payment to cover essential bills such as fuel or electricity.
Apply using a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA1) form and post it to your local Community Welfare Service.
To help process the claim, you should have your PPSN, proof of identity, as well as documents to show your income, expenses and financial situation.
Free energy upgrades
The SEAI’s Fully Funded Energy Upgrades (also known as the Warmer Homes Scheme), offer free home energy upgrades for eligible homeowners receiving certain welfare payments.
The purpose of these grants is to help make your home more energy efficient and reduce your gas and electricity bills.
Upgrades offered under the scheme include:
To qualify, you must:
- Own and live in your own home
- Own a home built and occupied before 2006
- Receive one of the welfare payments listed on their website
You must also decide what kind of energy upgrades your home needs. For more information on the grants available and how to apply, visit the SEAI website.
If you are not eligible for the scheme, you can still apply for other home energy upgrades.
An Post Household Budget service
If you’re struggling to manage your household finances and on a qualifying social welfare benefit, you could apply for An Post’s free Household Budget Service.
The scheme is operated on behalf of the Department of Social Protection. If you receive a social welfare payment, you can use An Post’s free Household Budget Service to manage your bills.
Money is deducted directly from your payment and sent to your utility supplier.
Key details include:
- You can pay any amount, but no more than 25% of your weekly social welfare payment.
- The minimum weekly deduction is €5.
Which suppliers are in the scheme?
The broadband and mobile provider Eir, local authority and housing agencies are also involved in the scheme.
How to apply
Apply by calling 1800 70 71 72 or by sending a Household Budget Deduction form to:
Household Budget, A Post, 3A GPO, Freepost, O’Connell Street Lower, Dublin 1, D01 F5P2. You’ll need to provide:
- The name of the supplier to receive the payment e.g. Electric Ireland, Bord Gáis Energy or SSE Airtricity
- Your account number, full name and address
- The amount you would like deducted from each social welfare payment for the named supplier
Ban on disconnections during winter
If you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, your supplier cannot disconnect your electricity or gas during the winter protection period.
During this time, disconnections for nonpayment are prohibited, and suppliers must still attempt to contact customers at least four times before considering disconnection at other times of year
Other ways to save on your energy bills
Once you’ve got the right financial support in place, consider other ways you could make your bills cheaper. Here’s two of the simplest ways to make savings.
Consider a payment plan
An alternative payment plan allows you to spread costs equally across the year into equal monthly payments, making it easier to manage bills. Some suppliers will also allow you take a payment holiday.
Your supplier must make at least four attempts to contact you before disconnecting your electricity.
Switch to a cheaper tariff
You could save up to €817 by switching to a cheaper gas & electricity tariff which could make a huge difference to your household bills.
Switching is easy and takes just a few minutes. If you haven’t switched in the last 12 months, then it’s even more likely that you could make some big savings. Here’s how to switch your gas and electricity supplier.
Be more energy-efficient
One of the best ways to cut your energy bills if you don’t qualify for support is to make simple changes in your home and use less gas and electricity.
There are lots of easy things you can do to make your home more energy-efficient, without spending any extra money.
See our top energy saving tips to get started.
Winter price freezes 2025/26
As energy costs continue to rise, some energy suppliers are offering price freezes to help households manage their bills during the winter months.
Will you benefit?
- Check Your Supplier: Contact your energy supplier to inquire about any available winter price freezes or discounts.
- Compare Offers: Use comparison tools to evaluate if switching to a supplier offering a price freeze could benefit you.
- Review Your Usage: Monitor your energy consumption to ensure you’re on the most cost-effective plan.
Switch and save up to €817 on your energy bills
It only takes a few minutes to find a cheaper deal and start saving
