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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Questions (891)

Seán Canney

Question:

891. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider raising the income threshold for the fuel allowance in order that persons living alone who are in receipt of a contributory pension and half-rate carer’s allowance can access the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63529/21]

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Written answers

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 over a full fuel season) from October to April, to 371,000 low-income households, at an estimated cost of €323 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.

As several Deputies have raised the issue of the treatment of half-rate Carer's Allowance when assessing means for fuel allowance purposes, I committed in the course of the debates on the Social Welfare Act 2021 to prepare a report on the inclusion of half-rate carer’s allowance recipients in the fuel allowance scheme.  When complete, the report will be brought before the House.

In Budget 2022 the Government announced a €5 increase in the maximum weekly rate of all State Pensions and Carer's Allowance with proportionate increases for people receiving a reduced rate.  The Living Alone Allowance was also increased by €3 from €19 to €22 per week.  Furthermore, the weekly means threshold for the fuel allowance scheme was increased by €20 to €120 above the appropriate rate of contributory State pension representing a 20% increase and enabling more people to qualify for this support.  The €120 allowable means limit is significantly more than the €33 weekly rate of fuel allowance.

The Government has therefore implemented significant improvements through Budget 2022.  Any proposal to further increase the allowable means for fuel allowance purposes would have to be considered in this context and in the context of the overall policy and budgetary situation.

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.

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