Additional 691 Sligo families to benefit from fuel allowance

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Welcoming the announcement Minister of State Frank Feighan said, “The Fuel Allowance is a welcome weekly payment of €38 for households as a contribution towards their heating costs between September and April each year.”

The extension of the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of Working Family Payments 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.

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.

“I encourage anyone who may be eligible to apply for the allowance, which will go a long way in supporting households in Sligo and Leitrim,“ concluded Minister Frank Feighan.

The announcement was also welcomed by Minister of State Marian Harkin who said, “I am delighted to see this important expansion of the Fuel Allowance come into effect. In Sligo, 691 working families will now benefit from this support, while a further 340 families in Leitrim will become newly eligible. For these households, this payment will provide much-needed assistance with the cost of heating their homes.”

Minister Harkin added, “Energy costs continue to place significant pressure on household budgets, particularly for working families on low incomes. This measure is a practical and targeted intervention that recognises the reality facing families who are in work but still struggling to make ends meet.

“I particularly welcome the positive impact this will have in rural counties like Sligo and Leitrim, where heating costs can be higher and incomes more stretched. This expansion ensures that work pays, that families are supported, and that children are protected from poverty.”

“As a result of today’s announcement, more than 470,000 households nationwide are now in receipt of the Fuel Allowance, strengthening the social protection safety net for working families throughout the country.”

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.