Fuel Price Shock Could Push More Older People into Crisis warns ALONE
10% of older people living alone are now in consistent poverty, and 30% are at risk
ALONE, the national organisation that supports older people to age well at home, is urging the Government to meet its commitments to targeting those most in need by placing older people living alone at the centre of any measures announced tomorrow to address rising fuel costs. The organisation warns that new CSO poverty data shows this group is already being pushed further into hardship.
Recent findings from the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (CSO-SILC) show that older people living alone were the only household group to see their financial situation worsen. ALONE says further increases in living costs will significantly worsen this trend unless older people are explicitly prioritised in Government measures.
Older people are among those under the most acute pressure when energy prices rise. Many live on fixed incomes and have no capacity to absorb higher fuel or heating costs. Almost half of older people rely on oil to heat their homes, leaving them particularly exposed to price increases, while 40% are already tolerating the cold to save on heating costs, according to ALONE data.
In 2025, ALONE supported almost 46,500 older people across its services, with one in three reporting financial difficulties. The organisation has seen a growing number of older people seeking support to cope with essential costs such as heating, highlighting the scale and urgency of the problem.
Commenting ahead of tomorrow’s expected Cabinet discussions, ALONE CEO Seán Moynihan said older people living alone must not be overlooked. “The CSO data is clear. Older people living alone are already falling further into poverty, even before the full impact of rising fuel costs is felt,” he said. “When energy prices rise, people on fixed incomes are hit first and hardest. Many simply cannot absorb these costs.”
While Government has said it is considering an extension to the Fuel Allowance, ALONE is calling for the full Fuel Allowance season to be reinstated. The season was cut in 2012 from 32 weeks to 28 weeks and has never been fully restored. Reinstating the missing four weeks would return the Fuel Allowance to its original length, help more households meet their energy costs, and prevent further energy debt from building up.
The CSO data covers a period when cost of living supports were still in place and shows that these measures played a critical role in protecting older people. However, key supports have not kept pace with rising costs. he Living Alone Allowance has not increased since 2022, while the Household Benefits Package has not been increased since 2013. ALONE has called for the Living Alone Allowance to be increased by €10 per week, at an estimated cost of €130.80 million per year, to help older people living alone meet rising living costs.
ALONE warns that without targeted action, rising fuel costs will force more older people to ration heat, live in cold homes and cut back on essentials, with serious consequences for their health and wellbeing.
“As Government finalises its response to rising fuel costs, older people living alone must be a targeted priority,” Mr Moynihan said. “Without decisive action, more people will be pushed further into poverty and crisis.”
ALONE is calling on Government to ensure that any fuel cost measures explicitly recognise the vulnerability of older people living alone and provide adequate, targeted supports to prevent further hardship.
Older people who need support can contact ALONE’s National Support and Referral Line on 0818 222 024, available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.
