The Irish Pensioners Allowances:
The allowance covers normal standing charges and
Up to 200 units of electricity in each two monthly billing period during the Summer.
Up to 300 units of electricity in each two monthly billing period during the Winter.
Up to 600 unused "free units" may be carried forward to the next billing period.** From the commencement of the October/November billing period, FEA recipients who also have Night Rate electricity meters, will have unused free electricity units (if available) offset against their Night Rate electricity usage.
The allowance does not cover
the cost of installing an electricity supply
the extra standing charges applied to the Optional Day/Night tariff (e.g. for storage heating). If the Optional Day/Night tariff is used, the allowance covers day units only.(See also ** above.)
3.6 Alternatives to the Free Electricity Allowance
The following are alternatives to the Free Electricity Allowance
Group account allowance
Free Bottled Gas Refill Allowance
Free Natural Gas Allowance
Free Electricity Group Account Allowance
If a claimant satisfies the conditions for receipt of FEA but is living in self-contained accommodation (i.e. a flat or apartment), in a building where there may be a number of separate meters operating from one ESB meter, and the registered consumer of the supply is a landlord, or where there are no separate meters, but the registered consumer is a landlord, that claimant may qualify instead for a Group Account Allowance. This allowance is paid by a book of monthly payable orders, which can be cashed at the claimant's Post Office and used to pay his/her electricity costs.
Bottled Gas Refill Allowance
If a person would qualify to Free Electricity or Free Natural Gas Allowance, but (s)he is not connected to either an electricity or a natural gas supply they may qualify for bottled gas refills instead.
The allowance is paid in a book of 14 vouchers. One voucher can be exchanged for a cylinder of gas.
Free Natural Gas Allowance
Free Natural Gas Allowance is paid to people who are connected to a Natural Gas supply as an alternative to Free Electricity Allowance. A claimant can only qualify to one of the payments and not to both.
Free Natural Gas provides a certain amount of Free Natural Gas to certain people aged 66 or over or certain incapacitated people.
The allowance covers normal standing charges and up to 2,460 kiloWatt hours (KWHs) of natural gas each year. Up to 967 unused KWHs of gas can be carried forward to the next billing period, if the claimant is paying on the reducing rate tariff.
The allowance does not cover the cost of installing a Natural Gas Supply in the claimant's home.
Qualifying payments are the same as those for Free Electricity Allowance.
Qualifying conditions are the same as those for Free Electricity Allowance except that the claimant must be a registered consumer of Natural Gas on the Bord Gáis domestic supply. ( Reducing, Double-Up, Discount, Economy, Super Saver or 50-50 Cashback rates).
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It's worth remembering, the climate here isn't particularly harsh, so in general heating costs are probabally not as extreme as north america or most of europe. The allowance does actually make a difference to the elderly.
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Also:
Free Television Licence
If a person qualifies for Free Electricity/Natural Gas Allowance, a Group Account Allowance, or Bottled Gas Allowance, (s)he is entitled to a Free Television Licence.
If a claimant is in receipt of the above allowances he may get his Free TV licence from the local Post Office. To obtain the same (s)he should bring with her/him to her/his local post office
His/her current television licence
His/her FS 3 (letter qualifying him/her to Free Electricity Allowance) or his/her ESB bill showing the Free Electricity Allowance in payment.
His/her pension or allowance book showing that (s)he is in receipt of Free Fuel Allowance or a letter from this Department or his/her Health Board confirming that a fuel allowance is in payment to him/her. (If (s)he is entitled to a colour licence)
If the claimant is not a registered consumer of electricity or natural gas (s)he may still qualify for a Free Television Licence if (s)he fulfils the other conditions for receipt of a Free Electricity/ Natural Gas Allowances. (When completing the FEA1 form (s)he should tick Free Television Licence only in part 5.)
4. FREE TELEPHONE RENTAL ALLOWANCE
4.1 General
4.2 Qualifying Payments
4.3 Qualifying Conditions
4.4 Points Of Note
4 Free Telephone Rental Allowance.
4.1 General
This allowance provides free telephone rental to certain people aged 66 or over or certain incapacitated people.
From 01.09.1993 the allowance also covers 20 free call units per billing period.
The allowance covers the standard rental charge for a telephone line and instrument which amounts to €28.19 (£22.20) every two months. The allowance also covers the rental on certain ancillary equipment such as an ampliphone, extra telephone socket, and indoor bell.
The allowance does not cover the installation charge for the phone, some telephone call charges, and extra rental charges for coin boxes or extensions.
The allowance will only be granted if the telephone is registered in the claimant's own name.
If the claimant's house is divided into flats the allowance may only qualify to FTRA, if the telephone is located in the claimant's private apartment, and registered in the claimant's own name.
[This message has been edited by djk (edited 09-07-2006).]
