Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary has today (Wednesday, March 4) announced an additional 50,000 families will receive Fuel Allowance payments from next week.

Under Budget 2026, there was a provision for the extension of the Fuel Allowance payment to Working Family Payment recipients.

The Working Family Payment is an income assessed payment that provides a financial top-up for employees, with children, with low earnings.

The minister said the new measure comes into effect next week and will be backdated to January.

The newly eligible families will receive backdated payments of up to €380 on Thursday, March 12, together with their weekly Working Family Payment.

Fuel allowance

From January 2026, the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance was increased by €5 a week to €38, giving a total per recipient of €1,064 each year.

Following today's announcement, the minister said that over 470,000 households are now being supported by the Fuel Allowance.

The full county breakdown of Working Family Payment recipients now eligible for Fuel Allowance is as follows:

Carlow: 818;
Cavan: 1,025;
Clare: 1,034;
Cork: 4,780;
Donegal: 2,428;
Dublin: 12,320;
Galway: 2,295;
Kerry: 1,547;
Kildare: 2,393;
Kilkenny: 770;
Laois: 1,026;
Leitrim: 340;
Limerick: 2,241;
Longford: 706;
Louth: 2,083;
Mayo: 1,401;
Meath: 1,933;
Monaghan: 927;
Offaly: 834;
Roscommon: 680;
Sligo: 691;
Tipperary: 1,775;
Waterford: 1,527;
Westmeath: 1,072;
Wexford: 2,118;
Wicklow: 1,178.

Minister Calleary said: "The Fuel Allowance plays a vital role in supporting families with their heating costs over the winter months".

"This is a targeted, practical intervention that will help working families manage energy costs and reduce financial pressure during the winter months, and it reflects a broader commitment: to ensure that work is rewarded, that families are supported, and that no child grows up in poverty," he added.