Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
438. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the fuel allowance for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47638/21]
View answerThe fuel allowance is a payment under the National Fuel Scheme to help with the cost of heating a home during the winter months. It is paid to people who are in receipt of certain qualifying social welfare payments and who also satisfy certain other conditions.
Carer's allowance (CA) is not a qualifying payment for receipt of fuel allowance.
However, carers may qualify for the fuel allowance if they are getting half-rate CA and another qualifying social welfare payment.
In this case, the person concerned is not in receipt of a qualifying payment.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, a weekly or monthly supplement may be paid to assist people whose means are insufficient to meet their needs in certain circumstances.
A special heating supplement may be paid to assist people who have special heating needs. A person may qualify for a heating supplement, if they can show that they have extra heating needs because of their age, medical condition or disability, are living alone or only with a dependent adult or dependent children and satisfy a means test.
In addition, exceptional needs payments (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his or her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is decided on the particular circumstances of the case. The person concerned could apply for these payments from her local community welfare service.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
