Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
464. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will examine extending the telephone support allowance to those in receipt of the State pension (contributory) but not in receipt of either the living alone allowance or the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48219/21]
View answerThe Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. Approximately 136,000 customers are in receipt of the TSA payment. The full year cost of the scheme is estimated at €18 million.
The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or phones for security. Therefore, the criteria for the allowance were framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible.
To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and also in receipt of both the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance. People who live alone would be considered amongst those most at risk of social isolation, and this payment, along with the Living Alone Allowance (LAA), is also in part a recognition of the greater challenges facing those living alone in avoiding poverty. As fuel allowance is a means tested payment this eligibility criterion ensures that only people who do not have additional resources receive the TSA.
The schemes operated by my Department are constantly reviewed. Any decision to change their qualifying criteria would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
