Gary Gannon
Question:139. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of expanding the fuel allowance to include those in receipt of the working family payment. [33247/22]
View answerWednesday, 22 June 2022
Questions (139)
Written answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each fuel season) from October to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying 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.
Fuel Allowance is a household payment and the circumstances and income of any other member of the household is taken into account when deciding a Fuel Allowance application. Accordingly, it is very difficult to provide an accurate estimate for the proposed measure. However, using certain assumptions, it is expected that it could cost an estimated €22.4 million in a full year.
The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly, tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment, is not subject to a capital means test, and recipients are in full time employment. A person in receipt of the WFP can continue to receive the payment for 52 weeks even if their income increases.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.