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.
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
- Aged between 66 and 70 and getting a state pension
- Aged under 70 and meet the additional rules for ‘People aged under 70.’
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
If you’re getting certain social welfare payments, you’ll qualify for the Fuel Allowance which helps with the cost of heating your home during the winter months.
The 2024/2025 Fuel Allowance starts on Monday, 23 September 2024 and is paid for 28 weeks until Friday, 4 April 2025.
You can choose to get the Fuel Allowance paid every week or paid in two instalments*.
In total, Fuel Allowance is worth €924 and works out the same whether you choose weekly or lump sum payments.
* Some allowances and schemes may exclude the instalment option.
How to apply
To apply for Fuel Allowance for the first time, you can apply online via MyWelfare.
If you do not have a MyGovID account or prefer to complete a paper application, you can download the NFS1 form or NFS2 form if you’re 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.
Additional Needs Payment
The Additional Needs Payment is an extra payment that helps cover essential costs you can’t afford with your weekly income. You can use it to pay for fuel or electricity.
How to apply
To apply for an Additional Needs Payment, you need to fill in 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
Also known as the Warmer Homes Scheme, the SEAI offer fully funded energy upgrades for qualifying homeowners in receipt of certain welfare benefits.
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:
How to apply
Before you apply, 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.
How does it work?
The service helps you put a regular amount away towards your household bills. The money is deducted directly from your Social Welfare payment and paid into your Household Budget account which then gets paid to your supplier.
You can have any amount deducted from your weekly payments, however, these rules apply:
- The total deducted from your benefit payment must not be more than 25% of your flat weekly social welfare payment
- €5 is the minimum weekly payment for your energy bill
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
You can either contact the An Post customer helpline on 1800 70 71 72 or print out and complete the Household Budget Deduction Instruction Form.
Sign and return the form to Household Budget, An Post, 3A General Post Office, 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
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 €776 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.
Ban on disconnections during winter
If you are struggling to pay bills, you cannot be disconnected during the winter months.
Dates for the upcoming winter period include:
Energy Poverty Action Plan
The government has launched a new €10 million fund to address energy poverty, and help those struggling to pay bills. Funds will be added to supports already in place, such as:
- Supports provided by energy suppliers
- The Additional Needs Payment
- Additional funding to the Warmer Homes Scheme
Switch and save up to €776 on your energy bills
It only takes a few minutes to find a cheaper deal and start saving
