Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Payments.

Willie Penrose

Question:

730 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the position in relation to means for the free fuel allowance where a person is over 75 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23894/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 per week, £8 per week in smokeless zones, is paid to eligible households for 26 weeks from mid October to mid April regardless of the temperature.

The conditions of the scheme are that the applicant satisfies a means test, and must live alone or only with qualified dependants, a carer, a person in receipt of a short-term unemployment assistance payment or a person who qualifies for a fuel allowance in their own right. There are no exceptions to these conditions on the basis of age and, consequently, people who are over 75 years of age must also satisfy the means test.

Persons who qualify for means tested pensions or allowances such as old age non-contributory pension are accepted as satisfying the means-test. However, if the household includes a person who is in receipt of disability benefit, unemployment benefit or occupational injury benefit then that household will not qualify for a fuel allowance. The benefit recipient could qualify for a £3 smokeless fuel allowance if they are residing in one of the specified areas and are on benefit for more than three months.

In the case of contributory pensioners such as old age contributory, retirement and invalidity pensioners the income of the qualified adult is assessable as means for the purpose of entitlement to a fuel allowance. A person may now have a combined household income of up to £30 per week or savings-investments of up to £30,000 over and above their pension and still qualify for fuel allowance.

I recognise the importance of fuel allowances to pensioners and I am also conscious of the need to simplify the social welfare system, whenever possible. However, any changes would have to be considered in the context of the budget and in the light of alternative proposals for delivering improvements in social welfare supports to pensioners and others.

There is a facility available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs. An application for a heating supplement may be made by contacting the community welfare officer at the local health centre.

Where a person would not normally qualify for a heating supplement there is provision under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to pay an exceptional needs payment. Exceptional needs payments are payable at the discretion of the health board taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

731 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive his back to work allowance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23899/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The objective of the back to work allowance scheme is to provide a financial incentive to lone-parents and long-term unemployed persons to return to the active labour force. The scheme has a limited number of places and is targeted at people who need the additional income support which the scheme provides in order to make it financially attractive to them to return to employment. The rules of the scheme therefore require that an application must be made prior to taking up employment. Claims made after the person has started work indicate that the person was in a position to take up employment without the need for the financial support which the scheme provides.

The person concerned commenced employment on 14 July 2000. His application was received in the Department on 22 August 2000 – five weeks after he commenced employment – and was refused on that basis.

Tony Gregory

Question:

732 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if, in view of the circumstances outlined, he will review the decision to refuse the back to education allowance to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 who has no other means of support. [23929/00]

Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs (Mr. D. Ahern):

The back to education allowance is a second chance educational opportunities programme designed to encourage and facilitate certain groups, including people who are having difficulty in obtaining employment having been out of work for a certain minimum period, to improve their skills and qualifications with a view to returning to the active work force.

To qualify for participation in the back to education allowance programme an unemployed person must, inter alia, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for at least six months (156 days) prior to commencing an approved course of study. The person concerned had been in receipt of unemployment benefit for 71 days prior to participation in a third level course and she is not, therefore, eligible for the allowance.