Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2022
453. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection if her attention has been drawn to an issue where persons in long-term receipt of occupational injuries benefit are automatically excluded from the fuel allowance, regardless of their income being below the qualifying threshold (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48598/22]
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 more than 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. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct limited resources in as targeted a manner as possible. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to 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.
In Budget 2023, I was pleased to announce that, from January 2023, the Disablement Benefit payment which is paid under the Occupational Injury Benefit Scheme will be disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
This measure will ensure that a household will no longer be debarred from receiving Fuel Allowance solely because a person in the household is in receipt of Disablement Benefit.
The amount of Disablement Benefit a person receives will also be disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
