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Internal Guidelines used in processing claims FOR IMPLEMENTATION FROM THE 2018/2019 FUEL SEASON ONWARDS Table of Contents 1.1 Purpose of the Fuel Schemes 1.2 Administration 1.3 Information Leaflet 1.4 Rate of Payment 1.5 Duration of the scheme 1.6.1 Qualifying Conditions 1.6.2 Half-rate Carer's Allowance 1.6.3 Inability to provide for own heating needs 1.6.4 SWA Pending a Primary DEASP Payment 1.6.5 Employment Support Schemes 1.6.6 Moving from Jobseeker's Benefit to Jobseeker's Allowance 1.6.7 Moving from One-Parent Family Payment to Jobseeker's Allowance Transition 1.6.8 Moving from Carer's Allowance to Jobseeker's Allowance 1.6.9 A person (who is part of a married couple/cohabiting/civil partner relationship) goes into a nursing home for longer than 13 weeks. 1.6.10 Saver Cases 1.6.11 Other Supports 2.1 Claims 2.2 Who should apply? 2.3 Change of circumstances 2.4 Reviews 2.5 Payment Options 2.5.1 Separate Payments 2.5.2 Payment Frequency - Weekly and lump sum options 2.5.3 Application Process 2.5.4 "Household" Payments 2.6 Qualified Child Dependents 2.7 Overpayments 2.8 Appeals 3.1 Capital 3.2 Current Income Limits 3.3 Income Disregards for the purposes of entitlement to Fuel Allowance Part 1: ENTITLEMENT 1.1 Purpose of the Fuel Allowance Scheme The Fuel Allowance Scheme was introduced in 1988. The aim of the scheme is to assist qualified households in receipt of certain social welfare payments with their heating costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. 1.2 Administration The Fuel Allowance is an administrative (non-statutory) scheme. Decisions in relation to applications for the scheme are made on the basis of these Internal Guidelines. Applications for Fuel Allowance are processed in the area with responsibility for the primary social welfare payment as follows: 1.3 Information Leaflet SW 17: National Fuel Scheme 1.4 Rate of payment The rate of Fuel Allowance is €22.50 per week or €607.50 annually. Currently the fuel season is 27 weeks (please note this may be subject to change in Budget 2019). It is paid with the applicant's primary social welfare payment. The allowance can be paid weekly or in 2 lump sums - the 1st at the start of the fuel season in October and the 2nd at the midway point (January). The Department reserves the right to refuse the lump sum payment option to claimants where a double payment has resulted from a previous change of circumstance. For further information on changing the frequency of payment and the new lump sum option, please click here. Please Note: - The lump sum payment option is currently not available to participants of Employment Support Schemes getting payments under the Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Gateway and Community Employment, as these payments are not made directly by the Department. - Neither is it available to recipients of Supplementary Welfare Allowance as this is a short term scheme. 1.5 Duration of the scheme Start dates for the fuel season are listed in the Fuel Circular. The duration of the 2018-2019 fuel season will be announced after Budget 2019. 1.6.1 Qualifying Conditions To qualify for a fuel allowance under the fuel allowance scheme a person must satisfy a number of criteria, as follows: - A. be legally resident in the State and be the person mainly responsible for the heating of a household. - AND - B. be in receipt of one of the following qualifying payments: - Jobseeker's Allowance (greater than 390 days*) - Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (greater than 455 days/15 months**) - Farm Assist - One Parent Family Payment - Jobseeker's Allowance Transition - Blind Pension - Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance - Disability Allowance - Invalidity Pension - State Pension (Contributory or Non-Contributory) - State Pension Transition (closed to new entrants since 2014) - Guardian's Payment (Contributory or Non-Contributory) - Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension (Contributory or Non Contributory) Incapacity Supplement under the Disablement Pension Scheme - Death Benefit Pension (previously known as Type 15) under Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme - Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Employment Support Schemes and Revenue Job Assist (See Section 1.6.5 below) - Social Security Payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement (of which there is an Irish equivalent payment). - *This includes those on casual Jobseeker’s Allowance greater than 390 days. Days of unemployment on Jobseeker’s Benefit count towards the 391 days if the Jobseeker’s Benefit claim was immediately before the award of Jobseeker’s Allowance. - **Basic SWA is paid on a 7 day week basis, therefore 15 months payment is reached at 456 days. Please Note: Social Welfare Benefits (with the exception of Death Benefit) are not qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance (Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness Benefit, Occupational Injuries Benefit, Maternity Benefit or Disablement Benefit). Equally if a person is in receipt of a social welfare payment and a benefit e.g. OPFP and JB then Fuel Allowance is not paid. Working Family Payment (WFP previously known as FIS) is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. However, if a person is in receipt of One-Parent Family Payment and WFP they may be entitled to the allowance see appendix F. AND - C. live alone or only with: - a qualified spouse/ civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren); - a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the allowance in their own right (Please note that the contributory payments listed at B above are qualifying payments subject to satisfying a means test); - a person who is receipt of Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit in respect of providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant or their qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren). - a person receiving short term Jobseeker's Allowance or Basic SWA (less than 391 days for JA and less than 15months/456 days for BASI). Please Note: Fuel Allowance is not paid in the following cases: - Where a person is living with someone in receipt of a payment other that those outlined at B and C above or is living with a person who is in receipt of SWA pending award of a social welfare payment. - Where a person is living with someone in receipt of a DEASP employment support scheme (e.g CE, TUS, RSS etc) who does not a have entitlement to Fuel Allowance in their own right. AND - D. be unable to provide for their heating needs from the resources of their household. A person applying for a fuel allowance must satisfy a means test. All recipients of non contributory payments are accepted as satisfying the means-test. 1.6.2 Half-rate Carer's Allowance From October 2013 onwards, the payment of half-rate Carer's Allowance does not preclude a person from qualifying for Fuel Allowance. - If a person is in receipt of a qualifying non-contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer's Allowance then they are deemed to have satisfied the means test and Fuel Allowance is payable subject to all remaining criteria being satisfied. - If a person is in receipt of a qualifying contributory social welfare payment and a half-rate Carer's Allowance then the value of the half-rate Carer's Allowance should be assessed in the means test for Fuel Allowance. 1.6.3 Inability to provide for own heating needs Fuel Allowance is not paid if a person's heating needs are provided for in full as part of their accommodation. The following are examples of cases where heating needs are provided for fully or in part: - Where a person lives in Local Authority accommodation where heating is provided. Persons that reside in Local Authority accommodation where heating is provided at a subsidised level may qualify for Fuel Allowance if they satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme. - Where a person has transferred a land holding to a member of his/her family and is living in a separate household but is provided with heating under a Deed of Assignment. If the provision of free heating under a Deed of Assignment is not being honoured then the position of the claimant should be considered and a decision on entitlement made accordingly. The applicant may be considered for Fuel Allowance subject to meeting the normal qualifying conditions. - Applicants who have access to their own fuel supply, e.g. a turf bank, may qualify for Fuel Allowance subject to the normal qualifying conditions. 1.6.4 SWA Pending a Primary DEASP Payment A person receiving SWA while awaiting a decision on a claim for another DEASP payment should NOT be paid Fuel Allowance. Fuel Allowance will be awarded, if appropriate, with the primary DEASP payment from the date of application. 1.6.5 Employment Support Schemes Participants on the following Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Employment Support Schemes can be paid Fuel Allowance where they had applied for or were awarded fuel allowance prior to commencing on the scheme and where they satisfy or continue to satisfy the conditions. Claimants moving to an Employment Support Scheme cannot accrue entitlement to Fuel Allowance while on the scheme e.g. a person moving from Jobseeker's Allowance with less than 391 days. - Back to Education Allowance - Back to Work Enterprise Allowance/Short-term Enterprise Allowance - Community Employment - Gateway - the local authority social employment scheme - Rural Social Scheme - Tús Community Work Placement Scheme Where participants reside in the same household as an eligible social welfare recipient, it is the social welfare recipient who should make the initial application. Where an Employment Support Schemes (ESS) participant has an underlying entitlement to Fuel Allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household is receiving the allowance: If these circumstances change (e.g. social welfare fuel recipient is no longer residing at the address) then it is open for the ESS participant to apply for Fuel Allowance. Fuel can be reviewed and awarded provided the ESS participant satisfies all conditions for receipt of fuel allowance. Please Note: - The lump sum payment frequency option is currently not available to people getting Employment Support Scheme payments under the Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Gateway and Community Employment. 1.6.6 Moving from Jobseeker's Benefit to Jobseeker's Allowance Fuel Allowance is payable to those on Jobseeker's Allowance greater than 390 days (i.e. 391 days). Days of unemployment on Jobseeker's Benefit count towards the claim paid days. Therefore if a person exhausts their Jobseeker's Benefit and moves to Jobseeker's Allowance they will accrue entitlement to Fuel Allowance on the 391st day (JB + JA) subject to the qualifying conditions being met. 1.6.7 Moving from One-Parent Family Payment to Jobseeker's Allowance Transition One-Parent Family Payment recipients who move to Jobseeker's Allowance Transition are entitled to Fuel Allowance regardless of their previous duration on OFP i.e. they do not have to meet the duration conditions (greater than 390 days) that are in place for Jobseeker's Allowance applicants. NOTE: Some former OFP recipients will have built up an entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit. Fuel Allowance is not payable with Jobseeker's Benefit. Therefore where a person moves from OFP to Jobseeker's Benefit they should be advised that they will not be entitled to Fuel Allowance and that they may claim JA Transition if they wish to retain their Fuel Allowance. 1.6.8 Moving from Carer's Allowance to Jobseeker's Allowance Carer's Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. However, when a person moves from Carer's Allowance to Jobseeker's Allowance (with no break) the current linking rules provide that they commence their claim at greater than 390 days and are therefore categorised as a long-term Jobseeker. For this reason they are eligible for Fuel Allowance on commencing their Jobseeker's Allowance claim, subject to meeting all the criteria for the scheme. 1.6.9 A person (who is part of a married couple/cohabitant/civil partner relationship) goes into a nursing home for longer than 13 weeks In the case where one person (who is part of a married couple/cohabiting or in a civil partnership) goes into a nursing home for longer than 13 weeks – the assessment for the fuel applicant should be as follows: The means of the couple should be divided by two and the single disregard should be applied to the calculation. Written confirmation should be received confirming that the person is in the nursing home longer than 13 weeks. 1.6.10 Saver Cases Fuel Recipient moves to a Nursing Home If a person in receipt of Fuel Allowance and getting paid for a qualified adult who has no entitlement to a social welfare payment in his/her own right moves to a nursing home on a full-time basis, the Fuel Allowance payment may continue. If the fuel recipient's social welfare payment is being paid directly to an agent to cover the nursing home fees then arrangements should be made for a separate payment to the qualified adult for the Fuel Allowance payment. Urban Fuel Scheme The Urban Fuel Scheme was operated by Local Authorities prior to the rationalisation of fuel schemes and the take-over by the Department of Social Protection of the National Fuel Scheme in 1988. There had been automatic entitlement to Fuel Allowance for recipients of State Pension (Non-Contributory), Blind Pension and Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pensions (Contributory and Non-Contributory), regardless of means and subject to the one allowance per household rule. This was provided recipients resided in the functional area of a Local Authority or in a house provided by a Local Authority. Persons who had been in receipt of a fuel allowance under the Urban Fuel Scheme but who failed to meet the conditions under the National Fuel Scheme, were allowed to retain entitlement provided they continued to satisfy the conditions for the Urban Fuel Scheme. These were known as ‘saver cases’. These cases are identified on the system with the codes 98 (UFS) or 99 (NFS). Where a ‘saver case’ no longer satisfies the Urban Fuel Scheme qualifying conditions, the ‘saver’ clause no longer applies and a new application must be made for Fuel Allowance. 1.6.11 Other Supports Heating Supplement Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs. If a recipient of a social protection or HSE payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which s/he is unable to meet out of household income, that person may apply for a Heating Supplement. Exceptional Needs Payments The Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. SWA Fuel Supplement A Fuel Supplement may be paid in lieu of the National Fuel Scheme in cases where people have entitlement but are not receiving payment from any other source. This is most commonly used where a person has been in receipt of a qualifying long term Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payment moves temporarily to a non-qualifying short term payment (for example, moving temporarily from long term Jobseekers Allowance to Illness Benefit or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (sick no benefit)). Further information on these supports is provided in Appendix C. PART 2: CLAIMS 2.1 Claims It is imperative that the Deciding Officer awarding a Fuel Allowance does so from the eligible date and not the start date of the next fuel season. This will ensure that customers who have an entitlement to the Telephone Support Allowance are paid from the appropriate date. A person should apply to the office of the Department which pays their pension/allowance. See Part 1, Section 1.2 above. If a person thinks he/she is eligible for a Fuel Allowance, he/she should apply using the NFS1 form without delay as the allowance cannot be backdated. If a person wishes to change their payment frequency from weekly to 2 lump sum instalments (or vice versa) they must complete form FA CPF 1 (Irish and English version available). 2.2 Who should apply? Only one allowance is payable per household. The living conditions are outlined at Section 1.6.1 (C) of the Guidelines. In order to establish eligibility for the Fuel Allowance, members of the household in receipt of contributory (non-means tested) social welfare payments (e.g. State Pension Contributory or Invalidity Pension) should apply first. If a person applies for Fuel Allowance and they are living with someone in receipt of a contributory payment, they should be informed in writing that their entitlement cannot be established without first undertaking a means test on income of the other person in their household. Their application can proceed in one of two ways: - The other person in the household can apply for the Fuel Allowance in their own right and will be subject to a means test as part of that application; - The initial applicant can supply the Department with the information required in order to undertake a means test on the other member of the household as part of their application. If all members of the household are all in receipt of means-tested payments then it is at their discretion who applies for the allowance. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance a person must be mainly responsible for the heating of a household. 2.3 Change of circumstances If a recipient's circumstances change (e.g. change of address, paying office, spouse/partner and household composition) his or her entitlement to Fuel Allowance should be reviewed. Information may come to light at any stage during the year or as part of the review of a primary social welfare payment and consideration should be given at that time to that person's continuing entitlement to Fuel Allowance. The payment of Fuel Allowance should be stopped where entitlement no longer exists. Also with the new option to be paid Fuel Allowance in 2 lump sums, the Deciding Officer must check the household composition to ensure that no member of the household was already paid by lump sum for the relevant period. The Department reserves the right to refuse the lump sum payment option to claimants where a double payment has resulted from a previous change of circumstance. Please Note: - If a customer is transferring from another scheme, officers must complete a thorough check to ensure that they apply the correct fuel payment frequency and that there is no overlap due to a previous lump sum payment for the same period. 2.4 Reviews When the Fuel Allowance is awarded a person does not have to re-apply every fuel season. For this reason it is important that each area of the Department include Fuel Allowance in the list of entitlements that are assessed as part of their on-going control functions. In addition, an annual review of a sample (recommended 5%) of Fuel Allowance customers should be carried out. Part or all of this review sample may be met as part of an overall review of scheme entitlements. A sample review letter is contained at Appendix C to assist scheme areas in this regard. Please Note: - The RSU will arrange to issue review forms centrally to a random sample of Jobseekers Allowance and One-Parent Family Payment recipients. 2.5 Payment Options 2.5.1 Separate Payments Where a couple have separated and wish to have their payment (primary payment + increase for a qualified adult) split, the primary customer has entitlement to the Fuel Allowance unless s/he requests that is should be paid to their spouse as part of the separate payment. Such a request should be put in writing and retained in the claim. 2.5.2 Payment Frequency - Weekly and Lump Sum options A person in receipt of, or applying for Fuel Allowance, may opt for a payment frequency of weekly or 2 lump sum instalments. Those already in receipt of the Fuel Allowance and who wish to continue on a weekly payment do not need to do anything as their weekly payment will continue. Likewise a person who has had their payment option changed to lump sum does not need to complete a CPF1 for each fuel season to retain the lump sum option. Once changed the payment frequency will remain as such until a further CPF1 is received. Please Note: - The lump sum payment option is currently not available to participants of Employment Support Schemes getting payments under the Rural Social Scheme, Tús, Gateway and Community Employment. Neither is it available to recipients of Supplementary Welfare Allowance. For customers who received a lump sum payment but are deemed, on review, to have had no entitlement to the fuel allowance on the date the lump sum issued, an overpayment will be raised. Customers who received a lump sum payment, and are deemed to have had an entitlement on the date the lump sum issued, are not deemed to have been overpaid if their entitlement subsequently ceases within that 13 week period. On the date that the lump sum issued the customer was entitled to that payment via their chosen payment method. The Department reserves the right to refuse the lump sum payment option to claimants where a double payment has resulted from a previous change of circumstance. Please Note: - If a customer is transferring from another scheme officers must complete a thorough check to ensure that they apply the correct fuel payment frequency and that there is no overlap due to a previous lump sum issue 2.5.3 Application Process If a customer wishes to change their payment frequency on an awarded claim, a FA CPF 1 must be received in the Department by the cut off date(s) referred to in the Fuel Allowance Circular issued before the start of each fuel season. A customer can apply to change their payment frequency at any stage; however, payment frequency will not change until the next lump sum issue date. 2.5.4 "Household" Payments A Fuel Allowance is deemed to be a "household" payment. Only one allowance is payable per household. Accordingly, if a household receives the lump sum payment, then generally that household is deemed to have received their fuel entitlement for that period. 2.6 Qualified Child Dependents For the purposes of Fuel Allowance, a dependent child is one for whom an Increase for a Qualified Child is payable. For a child between ages 18 and 22 engaged in full-time education, proof of full-time education should be obtained before the payment of Fuel Allowance is authorised. 2.7 Overpayments Where an overpayment arises, this should be assessed and recovered in line with the Overpayment Code of Practice and Debt Management procedures. For customers who received a lump sum payment but are deemed, on review, to have had no entitlement to the fuel allowance on the date the lump sum issued, an overpayment will be raised. The Department reserves the right to refuse the lump sum payment option to claimants where a double payment has resulted from a previous change of circumstance. Please Note: - If a customer is transferring from another scheme officers must complete a thorough check to ensure that they apply the correct fuel payment frequency and that there is no overlap due to a previous lump sum payment for the same period. 2.8 Appeals The Fuel Allowance scheme is administrative (non-statutory) and therefore decisions on claims cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Officer. However, if a customer is dissatisfied with a decision not to grant an allowance, s/he may request a review of his/her claim by a different Deciding Officer. It is open to applicants to supply any additional facts of information in support of his/her application. If following this review, the applicant still does not qualify for the allowance, s/he should be advised of the reason(s) for disallowance and be advised that it is still open to them to contact the office of the Ombudsman. PART 3: MEANS TEST A person applying for a fuel allowance must satisfy a means test. All qualifying non contributory recipients are accepted as satisfying the means-test. Where a person on a contributory payment resides with household members in receipt of non-contributory payments, income from the non-contributory payments is disregarded for the purpose of calculating entitlement to Fuel Allowance. Please note this disregard does not apply to half-rate Carer's Allowance. 3.1 Capital The standard capital means assessment rules for State Pension (Contributory) purposes apply to Fuel Allowance applicants who have capital. These can be found in Part 1, Article 8 of the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations, 2007 (S.I.142/2007). Income from capital, for example, property, savings and investments, is included in the mean test. An applicant may have capital/savings of up to €57,999 (i.e., equivalent to €100.00 a week under capital means assessment rules) in addition to income of up to the maximum State Pension rate, and still be eligible to receive a Fuel Allowance. If you have a second property (property other than your own home), the rental income from that property is assessed. However, the capital value (less any mortgage outstanding on the property) will be assessed if the property is not rented. 3.2 Current Income Limits An applicant and members of his/her household may have a combined assessable income of up to €100.00 a week above the appropriate maximum State Pension (Contributory) rate. The following assessable income limits therefore apply: - €343.30 for a single person under 80 years (€100 plus €243.30); - €505.40 for a couple, where the qualified spouse / civil partner /cohabitant is under 66 years (€100 plus €243.30 plus €162.10); - €561.30 for a couple, where the qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant is 66 years or over (€100 plus €243.30 plus €218.00); The maximum disregard available for any household is €561.30 In the case of applicants over 80 years of age, an extra allowance of €10.00 may be applied to the appropriate Social Welfare rate. Please Note: - If yearly income is available "weekly income" should be calculated by dividing by 52. Similarly if monthly income is available, "weekly income" should be calculated by multiplying by 12 and dividing by 52. 3.3 Income Disregards for the purposes of entitlement to Fuel Allowance Income from the following sources is disregarded for the purpose of calculating entitlement to Fuel Allowance. - Child Benefit - Guardian's Payment (Contributory) - Guardian's Payment (Non-Contributory) - Fostering Allowance - Domiciliary Care Allowance - Blind Welfare Allowance - Mobility Allowance - Living Alone Increase - Rehabilitation and training allowance [(max 20 hours per week), once this work has been approved as work of a rehabilitative nature by the Department] - All supplements (Diet, Rent, Heating, Travel) paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. - Carer's Allowance or Carer's Benefit payment of the person providing full-time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant, their qualified spouse/civil partner or cohabitant or qualified child(ren). See section 1.6 (iii). Please note this disregard does not apply to half-rate Carer's Allowance. - All non-contributory payments except for half-rate Carer's Allowance - Magdalen Commission Scheme payment - Ex gratia payments made under the Scheme of Compensation for Personal Injuries suffered at the Stardust, Artane on 14 February 1981 Appendix A * Certain limits apply to Jobseeker's Benefit in relation to Switzerland. Appendix B Sample letter for Review of entitlement Appendix C Heating Supplement and Exceptional Needs Payments – Note for Information Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs. If a recipient of a social welfare payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which he/she is unable to meet out of household income, that person may apply for a Heating Supplement. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. Heating Supplements are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. Decisions on applications for a Heating Supplement are determined by the local Community Welfare Service staff. In addition, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment or predetermined amounts under the different categories for Exceptional Needs Payments. A Fuel Supplement may be paid in lieu of the National Fuel Scheme in cases where people have entitlement but are not receiving payment from any other source. This is most commonly used where a person has been in receipt of a qualifying long term Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection payment moves temporarily to a non-qualifying short term payment (for example, moving temporarily from long term Jobseekers Allowance to Illness Benefit or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (sick no benefit)). A Fuel Supplement is not appropriate where a person may have entitlement to the National Fuel Scheme on their primary payment or in cases where there is another member of the household receiving payment under the National Fuel Scheme. Payment of a SWA Fuel Supplement is made at the rate of the Fuel Allowance and is limited to the period covered by the National Fuel Scheme. Decisions on applications for a Fuel Supplement are determined by local Community Welfare Service staff. Please Note: - The new lump sum payment frequency option is not available to fuel allowance recipients in receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance as this is a short term scheme. Appendix D Appendix E Appendix F Appendix G Appendix H Click here for the link to download form NFS1 (for 1st time application). Click here for the link to download form FA CPF 1 (to change the payment frequency of a claim already in payment).
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Réamhrá Is ionann Liúntas Breosla agus íocaíocht faoin Scéim Náisiúnta Breosla chun cabhrú leis an gcostas a bhíonn ar do theach a théamh i rith mhíonna an gheimhridh. Íoctar é le daoine a bhraitheann ar íocaíochtaí fadtéarmacha leasa shóisialaigh agus nach bhfuil in ann íoc as a riachtanais féin téimh. Ní íoctar ach Liúntas Breosla amháin le teaghlach. Go ginearálta, íoctar Liúntas Breosla le d’íocaíocht leasa shóisialaigh ar an lá is gnách duit íocaíocht a fháil. I gcás shéasúr Liúntas Breosla 2017-2018, tugtar an rogha duit go n-íocfar do Liúntas Breosla iomlán €585 leat in 2 chnapshuim - féach ‘Rátaí' thíos. Cuirfear tús le séasúr Liúntas Breosla 2017-2018 Dé Luain, an 2 Deireadh Fómhair 2017. D’fhoilsigh an Roinn Gnóthaí Fostaíochta agus Coimirce Sóisialaí (RGFCS) agus Coimirce Sóisialaí faisnéis ar an méid is gá duit a dhéanamh má tá deacracht airgeadais agat le do chuid billí fuinnimh. B’fhéidir go mbeadh roinnt pinsinéirí na RA a chónaíonn in Éirinn i dteideal Íocaíocht Bhreosla Geimhridh a fháil ón RA. Féadfaidh tú teacht ar bhreis faisnéis ó gov.uk. Coimeád folláin agus te sa gheimhreadh D’fhéadfadh sé a bheith deacair cur suas leis an aimsir fhuar, go háirithe má tá tú níos sine nó má tá tú faoi mhíchumas nó má tá breoiteacht fhadtéarmach ort. Tugtar faisnéis agus comhairle ar an láithreán gréasáin ‘Keeping Well and Warm’ faoi na tacaíochtaí atá ar fáil chun cabhrú leat agus le do theaghlach coimeád folláin agus te i rith an gheimhridh. Rialacha D'fhéadfadh tú cáiliú do liúntas breosla má tú ag fáil: - Pinsean Stáit (Ranníocach) nó Pinsean Stáit (Neamh-Ranníocach) - Pinsean Baintrí, Baintrí Fir nó Páirtnéara Shibhialta Mharthanaigh (Ranníocach) Baintrí Mná nó Baintreach Fir nó Pinsean Baintrí, Baintrí Fir nó Páirtnéara Shibhialta Mharthanaigh (Neamh-Ranníocach) - Forlíonadh Éagumais - Pinsean na nDall - Pinsean Easláinte - Liúntas Míchumais - Sochar nó Liúntas Banchéile Tréighte - Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora - Liúntas Chaomhnóra (Ranníocach) - Liúntas Chaomhnóra (Neamh-Ranníocach) - Cúnamh Feirme - Liúntas Réamhscoir - Liúntas Banchéile Príosúnaithe - Liúntas Leasa Forlíontach ar feadh níos mó ná 455 lá (tar éis 15 mhí – íoctar é ar bhonn seachtain 7 lá, mar sin, baintear íocaíocht 15 mhí amach ar lá 455) - Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist (LCP) ar feadh níos mó ná 390 lá (tar éis 15 mhí – íoctar é ar bhonn seachtain 6 lá, mar sin, baintear íocaíocht 15 mhí amach ar eis lá 390). Tá Liúntas Breosla iníoctha le daoine a raibh íocaíocht chuardaitheora poist á fáil acu ar feadh níos mó ná 390 lá, má shásaíonn siad na coinníollacha ábhartha cáilithe. Cuirtear laethanta a chaitear le Sochar Cuardaitheora Poist a fháil san áireamh i dtreo na 390 lá má rinneadh éileamh ar Shochar Cuardaitheora Poist díreach sular bronnadh Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist. Féadfaidh tú do Liúntas Breosla a choimeád má aistríonn tú ó Íocaíocht Teaghlach Aontuismitheora, Liúntas Cúramóra nó Íocaíocht Chuardaitheora Poist (Aistriú) go dtí LCP. - Socrú idirthréimhseach Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist - Sochar Báis faoin Scéim Díobhálacha Ceirde - Pinsean Slándála Sóisialaí ó thír EE/LEE nó ó thír a bhfuil comhaontú déthaobhach slándála sóisialaí ag Éirinn léi (a fhad agus go bhfuil íocaíocht chomhionann Éireannach ann). - Nó má tá páirt á glacadh agat i scéimeanna áirithe – Liúntas um Fhilleadh ar Obair, Liúntas Fiontraíochta um Fhilleadh ar Obair (LFFAO), an Scéim Shóisialta Tuaithe, Tús, JobBridge, Cúnamh Poist na gCoimisinéirí Ioncaim nó Fostaíocht Pobail agus má tá tú i dteideal do shochair thánaisteacha a choimeád. Agus Maireann tú i do aonar nó amháin in éineacht le - Céile cleithiúnach, páirtnéir sibhialta nó comháitritheoir agus/nó leanaí cleithiúnacha - Daoine eile a bhfuil ceann de na híocaíochtaí cáilitheacha á bhfáil acu a bheadh incháilithe, chomh maith, do Liúntas Breosla ina gceart féin - Duine a bhfuil Liúntas Cúramóra nó Sochar Cúramóra á fháil acu agus a bhfuil cúram á chur ar fáil acu duit nó do do chéile cleithiúnach, páirtnéir nó comháitritheoir - Duine a bhfuil Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist gearrthéarmach nó Liúntas Leasa Forlíontach bunúsach á fháil acu Agus Níl tú féin agus daoine eile muinteartha in ann soláthar a dhéanamh do bhur riachtanais téimh as bhur n-acmhainní féin. Ní cháileoidh tú do Liúntas Breosla: - Má fhreastalaítear ar do riachtanais téimh faoi ghníomhas a aistríonn réadmhaoin - Má chónaíonn tú le duine éigin nach bhfuil ceann de na híocaíochtaí cáilitheacha á bhfáil acu do Liúntas Breosla - Má tá íocaíocht ranníocach á fáil agat agus má tá ioncam agat a sháraíonn teorainneacha na tástála maoine (féach thíos) Liúntas Cúramóra Ní íocaíocht cháilitheach don Liúntas Breosla Liúntas Cúramóra. Féadfaidh tú cáiliú do Liúntas Breosla, áfach, má tá Liúntas Cúramóra ar leathráta agus íocaíocht cháilitheach leasa shóisialaigh eile á bhfáil agat. - Má tá íocaíocht neamh-ranníocach leasa shóisialaigh agus Liúntas Cúramóra ar leathráta á bhfáil agat, tá Liúntas Breosla iníoctha (má shásaíonn tú na critéir go léir). - Má tá íocaíocht ranníocach leasa shóisialaigh agus Liúntas Cúramóra ar leathráta á bhfáil agat, déanfar luach Liúntas Breosla ar leathráta a mheasúnú sa tástáil mhaoine do Liúntas Breosla (féach thíos). Tástáil mhaoine le haghaidh Liúntas Breosla Íocaíocht ar a ndéantar tástáil mhaoine is ea Liúntas Breosla. Má tá íocaíocht neamh-ranníocach á fáil agat, glactar leis go sásaíonn tú an tástáil mhaoine. Má tá tú rannpháirteach i scéim tacaíochta fostaíochta nó má tá Liúntas um Fhilleadh ar Oideachas á fháil agat, tá tú i dteideal do Liúntas Breosla a choimeád má leanann tú leis na coinníollacha a shásamh – an tástáil mhaoine san áireamh. Tá tástáil mhaoine an Liúntais Bhreosla nasctha leis an ráta uasta den Phinsean Stáit (Ranníocach). Féadfaidh tú comhioncam seachtainiúil €100 a bheith agat os cionn an Phinsin Stáit (Ranníocach) le haghaidh do chúinsí agus fós bheith i dteideal Liúntas Breosla a fháil. Ciallaíonn seo gur féidir leat caipiteal/coigiltí a bheith agat, a fhad agus níos lú ná €58,000 iad, agus bheith i dteideal Liúntas Breosla a fháil. (Is ionann €58,000 agus beagán de bhreis ar €100 sa tseachtain faoi rialacha na measúnachta ar mhaoin chaipitil.) Mar shampla: - Is ionann an teorainn inmheasúnaithe ioncaim le haghaidh duine aonair faoi 80 agus €343.30 (€100 móide €243.30); - Is ionann an teorainn inmheasúnaithe ioncaim le haghaidh lánúine (sa chás gur faoi 66 bliain an duine fásta cáilithe) agus €505.40 (€100 - Is ionann an teorainn inmheasúnaithe ioncaim le haghaidh lánúine (sa chás gurb os cionn 66 bliain an duine fásta cáilithe) agus €561.30 (€100 móide €243.30 móide €218); Más os cionn 80 atá tú, is féidir leat €10 a shuimiú le ráta cuí íocaíochta na RGFCS. Ag fágáil pinsean nó sochar ó thír eile Má tá pinsean/sochar nó íocaíocht choibhéiseach dhá íoc leat ó thír atá clúdaithe ag Rialacháin an AE nó tír a bhfuil Comhaontú Déthaobhach Leasa Shóisialaigh ag Éirinn léi, d’fhéadfadh sé go gcáileodh tú don liúntas breosla má shásaíonn tú na coinníollacha cáilitheacha a bhfuil tagairt déanta dóibh thuas agus go bhfuil tú: Agus - Go bhfuil tú 66 bliain d'aois nó ós a chionn Nó - Go bhfuil tú faoi 66 bliain d'aois agus Pinsean Easláinte dhá íoc leat (le ós cionn 12 mí), Pinsean Baintrí, Baintrí Fir nó Páirtnéara Shibhialta Mharthanaigh nó íocaíocht choibhéiseach ó thír eile. Má cháilíonn níos mó ná duine amháin sa teaghlach Ní íocfar ach íocaíocht Liúntais Bhreosla amháin le teaghlach. Má tá beirt ina gcónaí in aon teaghlach agus go gcáilíonn siad araon don liúntas breosla, ní íocfar ach liúntas breosla amháin le duine cáilithe amháin sa teaghlach sin. Leagann an tábla thíos amach an duine cáilitheach iomchuí sa líon tí ar chóir dó/dí iarratas a dhéanamh ar an liúntas breosla sa chás go bhfuil beirt nó níos mó daoine cáilitheacha ina gcónaí sa teach céanna. Rataí Is é an Liúntas Breosla ná €22.50 sa tseachtain. Is féidir le daoine a bhfuil íocaíochtaí leasa shóisialaigh áirithe á bhfáil acu a Liúntas Breosla iomlán €585 a fháil íoctha leo in 2 cnapshuim. Íocfar an chéad chnapshuim €292.50 ag tús an tséasúir bhreosla i nDeireadh Fómhair agus íocfar an dara ceann (€292.50 chomh maith) in Eanáir - féach ‘Conas do rogha íocaíochta a athrú’ thíos. Conas iarratas a dhéanamh Is gá d’iarratasóirí nua ar Liúntas Breosla foirm iarratais NFS 1 (pdf) a chomhlánú. Tá an fhoirm iarratais seo ar fáil, chomh maith, ó Oifig an Phoist áitiúil agus is féidir foirm a lorg trí FORM FUEL agus d’ainm agus do sheoladh a sheoladh i dteachtaireacht téacs chuig 51909. Má dhéanann tú iarratas ar an liúntas breosla tar éis túis an séasúir téite (an seachtain dheireanach Meán Fómhair), ní íocfar an liúntas siar go dáta. Má tá íocaíocht dhá fháil agat ón Roinn Gnóthaí Fostaíochta agus Coimirce Sóisialaí nó pinsean/sochar leasa shóisialaigh ó thír atá clúdaithe ag Rialacháin an AE nó tír a bhfuil Comhaontú Déthaobhach Leasa Shóisialaigh ag Éirinn léi, íocfar do liúntas breosla trí leabhar orduithe íocaíochtaí nó leabhar ilchodach, más féidir. Mura n-athraíonn do chúinsí agus má leanann tú an íocaíocht leasa shóisialaigh céanna a fháil, ní gá duit iarratas ar an Liúntas Breosla a dhéanamh gach bliain. Mura bhfuil íocaíocht leasa shóisialaigh á fáil agat, is féidir do Liúntas Breosla a íoc go díreach isteach i do chuntas in institiúid airgeadais nó féadfaidh tú an liúntas a bhailiú ag oifig an phoist áitiúil. Conas do rogha íocaíochta a athrú I gcás shéasúr Liúntas Breosla 2017-2018, tugtar an rogha duit go n-íocfar do liúntas iomlán leat in 2 chnapshuim. Chun do Liúntas Breosla a fháil in 2 chnapshuim, caithfidh tú foirm (FA CPF 1) a chomhlánú, atá ar fáil ó Oifig an Phoist, Ionad Intreo nó Oifig Bhrainse Leasa Shóisialaigh áitiúil. Chomh maith leis sin, is féidir leat FORM FUEL CHANGE agus d’ainm agus do sheoladh a sheoladh i dteachtaireacht téacs chuig 51909. Chun an chéad chnapshuim a fháil i nDeireadh Fómhair 2017, caithfidh tú d’fhoirm chomhlánaithe a sheoladh ar ais roimh an 15 Meán Fómhair 2017. Níl an rogha seo ar fáil do dhaoine a bhfuil íocaíochtaí á bhfáil acu faoin Scéim Shóisialta Tuaithe, Tús, Gateway agus Fostaíocht Pobail. Cá háit a ndéanfaidh mé iarratas Comhlánaigh an fhoirm agus cuir ar ais í chuig an rannán íocaíochta cuí faoi mar atá leagtha amach thíos: