Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1305. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of allowing a fuel allowance payment to all households that may be disqualified because of another person living there and in receipt of a social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41672/22]
View answerThe 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. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.
My Department does not retain household composition data on all households that may be disqualified because of another person living there and in receipt of a social welfare payment and is, therefore, unable to provide a costing for this measure.
The criteria for fuel allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the fuel allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the fuel allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own. Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for fuel allowance in the manner outlined by the Deputy would change the targeted nature of the payment and would have to be considered in the context of overall scheme policy and budgetary considerations.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
