Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013
326. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the fact that persons on jobseeker's allowance are losing fuel allowance because they take up a place on a community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49111/13]
View answerA Fuel Allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating a person’s home. It is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Only one Fuel Allowance is paid to a household at a standard rate of €20 per week.
There are various qualifying conditions to be eligible to receive fuel allowance (detailed in full on the Department’s website), e.g. long term receipt of jobseeker’s payments (390 days minimum). The person must also satisfy a household income test, and the household must be unable to provide for their own heating needs.
If the applicant and members of his/her household have a combined income of more than €100.00 per week or savings/investments of €58,000 in addition to a Social Welfare Pension, the allowance is not payable.
Persons employed under the Community Employment (CE) scheme who meet the qualifying criteria for receipt of fuel allowance will receive the extra €20 per week during the fuel season while employed on CE. Time spent on CE does not count towards the 390 day qualifying period, so a person must have qualified for fuel allowance in advance of commencing CE.
The person in question did not qualify for fuel allowance because his wife’s income from employment puts their household income over the €100 weekly income threshold.
