Fine Gael urges OAPs now residing in Ireland, but who worked in the UK for most of their lives, to claim winter allowance

The Treasury may have to pay out winter fuel allowances to more than 130,000 Irish pensioners even though they now live in the Republic.

A member of the Dáil from the ruling Fine Gael party is urging Irish OAPs who spent a lifetime of work in the UK to take up Britain's winter fuel payment allowance, worth up to €350 (£304) a year.

This follows a recent ruling by the European court of justice, which ruled that the scheme must be extended to people who worked all their lives in the UK but did not avail themselves of the allowance when living there.

The Fine Gael MP for Roscommon/South Leitrim, Frank Feighan, said on Sunday: "There are 131,000 Irish pensioners who are eligible for the UK's winter fuel payment and many of them are not aware of this. The tax-free annual payment ranges between £100 and £300 sterling and I would urge pensioners who spent their lives working in the UK to investigate whether they are eligible for this payment.

"Up to last year, these monies were only paid to Irish people who essentially transferred their winter fuel payments from the UK to Ireland.

"However, following a ruling by the European court of justice in 2012, the qualifying criteria can now be extended to returned Irish people who worked all their lives in the UK but did not avail of the allowance when living there.

"Since 2002, the UK's Department for Work and Pensions has paid out more than €9.5m [£8.2m] under this scheme to Irish people who returned to these shores after living and working all their lives in the UK. As a result of the European court of justice ruling, many more people can avail of this.

"To be eligible for this fuel payment, the only requirement is that a claimant was born on or before 5 July 1951 and have a 'genuine and sufficient link' with the UK. Having a British pension is not a strict qualifying factor but of course, it will be of enormous help when applying. Undoubtedly, many Irish people can easily prove they have lived or worked in the UK for most of their working lives."