Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 July 2022
134. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the proportion of persons on the contributory pension and on the invalidity pension who qualify for the fuel allowance scheme; if many are excluded who are experiencing fuel poverty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34938/22]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
As at the end of December 2021, there were almost 375,000 recipients of Fuel Allowance. At the end of 2021, almost 17% (or 78,378 of 468,734) State pension contributory recipients qualified for Fuel Allowance, and 29% (or 16,777 of 57,874) Invalidity pension recipients qualified for the payment.
The more common reasons for unsuccessful Fuel Allowance applications include where the means of the customer or household exceeds the permissible threshold; where the applicant resides with a non-qualified person (for example, someone in employment); or where the applicant resides with another person who is already in receipt of Fuel Allowance. Where an application is disallowed, it is open to the person to re-apply if there is a change in their circumstances.
The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government announced additional expenditure measures of €505 million. As part of these measures, I announced an additional lump sum payment of €125 to households in receipt of the fuel allowance payment. This additional lump sum was paid in March 2022.
The National Energy Security Framework made provision for a further additional lump sum payment of €100 to be paid to all households in receipt of fuel allowance in the last week of the (2021/22) fuel allowance season – a payment equivalent to over 3 weeks additional fuel allowance. This additional €100 fuel allowance payment was paid in May 2022.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, discretionary payments can be made to help people who face difficulties with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people with exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity who cannot meet those costs. An Additional Needs Payment (ANP) may be made to help a person meet an essential, once-off cost which they are unable to meet out of their own resources, including exceptional heating costs. An ANP may also be payable to those not getting a social welfare payment and those on low incomes. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
