Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 October 2021
262. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has considered broadening the fuel allowance qualifying conditions to include those partaking in the community employment scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48787/21]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.
If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of fuel allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can continue to receive the fuel allowance payment while participating on the scheme once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.
If the CE participant was not in receipt of the fuel allowance payment prior to going on the CE scheme they may still apply for and qualify for fuel allowance in the following circumstances.
- If the CE scheme participant was in receipt of a long-term qualifying payment prior to going on the CE scheme this will allow them to satisfy the qualifying payment element. However, all other qualifying conditions of fuel allowance must also be satisfied.
- Where the CE scheme participant has an established underlying entitlement to fuel allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving the payment, it is open to the CE scheme participant to apply for fuel allowance if these circumstances change, e.g., where the fuel allowance recipient leaves the address.
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance for other people participating on a CE scheme would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
