Robert Troy
Question:714. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will intervene to ensure a fuel allowance payment is awarded to a person (details supplied). [47520/23]
View answerTuesday, 7 November 2023
Questions (714)
Written answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks from September 2023 to April 2024. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. One allowance is paid per household.
Qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance are those payments that are considered long term payments and an applicant must also satisfy a means test.
The person concerned is in receipt of Illness Benefit. Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who are certified by their GP as needing to take time out from their employment due to illness and, accordingly, is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.
The person concerned is one of a number of people who were in receipt of Illness Benefit prior to 5th January 2009 and, as an exceptional measure, were allowed to remain on Illness Benefit on a continuous duration basis. While the person concerned has been in receipt of Illness Benefit for a number of years, this scheme is still not an eligible scheme for fuel allowance.
People who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the non-means tested Invalidity Pension, subject to satisfying the relevant social insurance and medical criteria. Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested Disability Allowance, subject to meeting the relevant medical criteria. Recipients of both of these payments, subject to satisfying all qualifying conditions, may be eligible for Fuel Allowance.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost, which customers are unable to meet out of their resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such cases are made on a case by case basis.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.