MORE than 400,000
households will receive a fuel allowance welfare
top-up this week to help them with their winter
heating bills.
The annual scheme starts today and will see an extra
€22.50 per week added to the payments of long-term
welfare recipients including pensioners for the next
26 weeks until early April
Some recipients will, for the first time, have opted
to receive the allowance in two lump sums, meaning
they will get an extra €292.50 added to their usual
payment this week. A second lump sum of the same
amount will be paid in January. The move is designed
to help people who must buy their fuel in bulk and
pay up-front, such as those reliant on home heating
oil.
The Department of Social Protection also urged
people to contact their energy supplier as soon as
possible if they run into difficulties paying their
heating bills this season.
“Suppliers are required to offer you a payment plan
where you are genuinely struggling to pay your bill.
When agreeing to a payment plan the supplier must
take your ability to pay into account and confirm
with you that the payment plan is manageable,” the
department said on its website. |
