Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2023
388. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection to make the fuel allowance a qualifying payment for carer’s allowance, including in circumstances where the carer is not resident with the individual they are caring for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32233/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance which is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023.
The Government values the role of carers in society and it is for this reason that they receive significant income supports from the Department. In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers receive additional support in the form of free travel and the household benefits package (for those who live with the person for whom they care) and the annual Carer's Support Grant (€1,850) in respect of each person for whom they care.
While Carer's Allowance is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, a person in receipt of Carer's Allowance may avail of the Fuel Allowance payment in certain circumstances. Fuel Allowance is a household-based payment, and a carer will very often live with and care for a person in receipt of a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. Income from Carer's Allowance is disregarded from the fuel means test if the carer is providing full time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant, his/her qualified spouse/civil partner or cohabitant or qualified child(ren).
If a person is getting certain qualifying social welfare payments and also providing full time care and attention to another person, they can keep their main social protection payment in addition to receiving the half-rate Carer's Allowance. They can also receive an extra half-rate Carer’s Allowance if they care for more than one person. Since January 2023, the amount of half-rate Carer’s Allowance received is now disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes.
Any decision to adjust the rules of Fuel Allowance to make Carer's Allowance a qualifying payment would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Furthermore, Additional Needs Payments may also be made to help meet an essential, once-off costs which an applicant is unable to meet out of his / her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined by a community welfare officer based on the particular circumstances of the case.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
