Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 March 2019
338. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who received the fuel allowance for the 2018 to 2019 season; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12546/19]
View answerFuel Allowance is a payment made to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. Budget 2019 provided for the extension of the fuel allowance season by one week, thus extending the season to 28 weeks. The additional week of Fuel Allowance will be paid at the end of the current fuel season in April 2019.
The current fuel season commenced on 1 October 2018. The average number of Fuel Allowance recipients was 373,438 from October 2018 to December 2018. The 2019 Revised Estimates for the remainder of the fuel season from January to April 2019 provides for an average of 371,485 recipients.
