Diet and heating supplements

Information

Certain people who have special dietary and heating needs can get additional weekly supplements under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme. This scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

To get a diet supplement or a heating supplement you must satisfy the specific requirements for each supplement - see 'Rules' below.

Rules

Diet supplement

You can get a diet supplement for a prescribed diet, if you:

• Have a specified medical condition
• Are getting a social welfare payment or HSE payment
• Satisfy a means test.

To get a diet supplement, a hospital consultant or a hospital registrar must certify:

• That you or your adult dependant or child dependant has been prescribed a diet because of a specified medical condition
• The type of diet prescribed
• How long you will need the prescribed diet.

A gluten free diet for an adult or a child aged 18 to 22 may be prescribed by your family doctor (GP).

In the case of diet supplements, for example, for people with cystic fibrosis, the long-term illness scheme book may be accepted as verification that such a diet has been prescribed. The length of time for which the diet is being prescribed and the type of diet must be stated.

Diets that qualify for the diet supplement

The weekly cost of each prescribed diet is set by the Department of Social Protection. The following diets qualify for the diet supplement: 

Qualifying prescribed diets	Cost of diet
Low-lactose, milk-free diet	€65.43
Gluten-free diet	€68.43
High-protein, high-calorie diet	€71.43
Altered consistencies (liquidised) diet	€74.93

Heating supplement

The heating supplement is an additional weekly payment to help with the cost of heating your home. You may get a heating supplement, if you:

• Can show you have extra heating needs because of your age, medical condition or disability

• Are living alone or only with a dependent adult or dependent children
• Satisfy a means test.

Rates

Adult diet supplement

The rate for a single person and lone parent is calculated as follows: The diet cost as set by the Department of Social Protection, less one-third of your social welfare payment at the 2007 rate = the diet supplement to be paid to you.

Example 1:

• Paul is on a high-protein, high-calorie diet and is getting a One-Parent Family Payment. The Department of Social Protection has set the cost of this diet at €71.43. Take one-third of his social welfare payment (excluding any amount he is getting for a child dependant) from €71.43 to get the amount of diet supplement payable. (€71.43 - €61.93 (or one-third of his One Parent Family Payment at the 2007 rate) = €9.50 paid as diet supplement)

The rate for a married or cohabiting couple is calculated as follows: The diet cost as set by the Department of Social Protection less one-sixth of your social welfare payment at the 2007 rate = the diet supplement to be paid to you.

Example 2:

• Mary is married and on a high-protein high-calorie diet and is getting Jobseeker's Allowance. The Department of Social Protection has set the cost of this diet at €71.43 . Take one-sixth of her social welfare payment (excluding any amount she is getting for a child dependant) from €71.43  to get the amount of diet supplement payable. (€71.43 - €51.52 (one-sixth of her Jobseeker's Allowance payment including an increase for her adult dependant at the 2007 rate) = €19.91 paid as diet supplement)

People getting Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement

If you are getting Rent Supplement or Mortgage Interest Supplement, the Supplementary Welfare Allowance personal rate for 2007, and qualified adult rate where applicable, is used to calculate the amount of diet supplement. In assessing your means, any increases in social welfare payments for children are not taken into account.

Child diet supplement

The diet supplement rates for a qualified child are as follows:

• Low lactose, milk free diet = €3.50
• Gluten free diet = €6.50
• High protein, high calorie diet = €9.50
• Altered consistency (liquidised) diet = €13

A child is considered to be a dependant if they are under 18, or is over 18 and under 22 and in full-time education.

Heating supplement

There is no fixed rate for heating supplement. The amount of heating supplement you get will be based on your need as assesed by your Community Welfare Officer.

How to apply

To apply for a heating supplement, fill in a heating supplement form (pdf). The Community Welfare Officer will help you fill in the form.

To apply for a diet supplement, you must fill in an application form. If you are applying for an adult, fill in an adult diet supplement form (pdf).  If you are applying for a child, fill in a child diet supplement form (pdf). The Community Welfare Officer will help you fill in the form.

You can make an appeal against a decision to the Appeals Officer of the HSE.

Where to apply

To get a diet or heating supplement, apply to the Community Welfare Officer in your local health centre.