Brendan Smith
Question:140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals there are to improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34870/22]
View answerThursday, 14 July 2022
Questions (140)
Written answers
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks - a total of €924 each year - from late September to April, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.
As part of the overall welfare budget package of €600m in increases secured for 2022, I was pleased to be able to increase the Fuel Allowance payment by €5 per week effective from Budget week. I also increased the weekly income threshold for Fuel Allowance by €20. This brought the threshold to €120 above the appropriate rate of State Pension Contributory, enabling more people to qualify for this support.
Furthermore, with effect from the start of the next fuel season, the qualifying period for Jobseeker’s and Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients to access the Fuel Allowance payment will be reduced from 15 to 12 months.
The Government has, therefore, implemented significant expansions in relation to the Fuel Allowance through Budget 2022.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Additional 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.
While the Department's schemes are reviewed on an ongoing basis, any further expansions to the Fuel Allowance scheme would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.