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Social Welfare Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021

Tuesday, 5 October 2021

Questions (469)

Michael Ring

Question:

469. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection if those receiving illness benefit will be considered for the fuel allowance and the double payment at Christmas, particularly those who have a claim category of continuous duration and those who have received illness benefit for several months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48324/21]

View answer

Written answers

Fuel Allowance and the Christmas Bonus are paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.

The reason Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance or the Christmas Bonus is that, in the majority of cases, Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who are certified by their GP as needing to take time out from their employment due to illness.

People who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for the non-means-tested Invalidity Pension, subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria. Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested Disability Allowance, subject to meeting the relevant medical criteria. Recipients of both of these payments are eligible for the Christmas Bonus and, subject to satisfying all qualifying conditions, for Fuel Allowance.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance or the Christmas Bonus to include people in receipt of Illness Benefit would have to be considered in an overall budgetary and policy context.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost, including exceptional heating costs, which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

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