Telephone Support Allowance
Introduction
The Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is an extra weekly payment for people on certain social welfare payments who are also getting both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance.
It is intended to help people living alone with the cost of communications and/or a home alert system and is paid by the Department of Social Protection (DSP).
As this allowance is paid automatically to people who qualify, you do not need to apply for it.
Rules
To qualify, you must be getting both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance along with one of the following payments
- State Pension (Contributory)
- State Pension (Non-Contributory)
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
- Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme
- Invalidity Pension
- Disability Allowance
- Blind Pension
- Disablement Pension (Incapacity Supplement)
- Deserted Wife's Benefit
The DSP has published useful FAQs about the Telephone Support Allowance on welfare.ie.
Rates
Weekly payment in 2023:
| Telephone Support Allowance | €2.50 |
The Telephone Support Allowance is an additional sum paid on the same day and by the same method as your main weekly payment.
How to apply
As the Telephone Support Allowance is paid automatically to people who qualify, you do not need to apply for it. There is no application form.
If you think that you may qualify but haven’t received an automatic payment, you should contact the section in the Department of Social Protection that pays your main social welfare payment (see list of payments in ‘Rules’ above).