Publication
Reduce Your Use - Supports
- Published on: 20 December 2023
- Last updated on: 8 August 2025
The Government is acutely aware of the impacts of high energy prices on families, individuals and businesses, and has made a range of supports available to help ease the burden for everyone.
- An Additional Needs Payment is a payment available to you if you have essential expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income. This is a means-tested payment and is administered by the Department of Social Protection’s Community Welfare Service. You can find out more at gov.ie/ANP
- The Fuel Allowance is a payment to help with the cost of home heating during the winter months. You can claim the allowance if you are aged 70 or over, or in receipt of long-term social welfare payments or carer’s allowance. If you are aged 66 and over you may be eligible for the fuel allowance. Find out more at gov.ie/FuelAllowance
- The Households Benefits Package helps with the costs of electricity or gas bills. It also includes your television licence. For those aged 70 or over, it is not means tested and you do not need to be getting a qualifying payment. It is also open to those under 70 provided they meet certain criteria.
- The Housing Aid for Older People Grant is available to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. The scheme is administered by local authorities.
- Fully funded home energy upgrades are available to homeowners who receive certain welfare payments. Find out more here: Fully Funded Home Energy Upgrades and Grants SEAI
- Homeowners can borrow up to €75,000 at low-interest rates under the Government’s Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme.This scheme is to support people to upgrade the energy efficiency of their home with an approved SEAI contractor.
- Three Electricity Credit Schemes have been introduced since 2022, with 2.2 million households receiving €1,250 each, at a cost of approximately €2.75 billion.
- Further information on Government of Ireland social welfare schemes and services is available here.