Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
728. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons aged 70 years and over receiving the household benefits package; and the number of that cohort who are also in receipt of fuel allowance.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55544/22]
View answerThe Household Benefits Package comprises an electricity or gas allowance and a television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment, or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under age 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. Only one Household Benefits package is payable per household.
Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is made over the winter season, at €33 weekly, or if preferred by way of two lump sum payments one at the start of the season and one in early January. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household.
I was pleased, as part of Budget 2023, to secure changes to expand the qualifying criteria for the Fuel Allowance scheme by introducing new conditionality for applicants over age 70, extending the scheme to applicants over 70 years who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment, increasing the means disregard from €120 to €200 per week, and additional disregards relating to certain social welfare payments. It is estimated that up to 81,000 additional customers may qualify under the new measures announced.
At the end of 2021, the Household Benefits package was in payment to almost 336,600 recipients aged 70 or over. According to my Department's records, almost 64,800 of these individual claimants were in receipt of Fuel Allowance. However, it is important to note that Fuel Allowance may be in payment to a different qualified claimant within the household of the over 70 Household Benefits recipient. It should also be noted that while only one of either scheme payment is payable per qualified household, the individual claimant may differ and some households may not be eligible for both payments.
I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
