Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
719. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider amending the criteria for fuel allowance so that those who are living with another family member, earning a low income and not in receipt of one of the qualifying payments for fuel allowance would not be disqualified from the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36611/23]
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, at an estimated cost of €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
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 the household composition criteria. 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.
An unqualified family member, who is living with a fuel allowance applicant, may result in a reduction of additional allowances such as the Fuel Allowance payment to the householder. However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a contribution towards household costs by the family member would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as that proposed by the Deputy, would have to be considered in the context of budgetary negotiations. However, disregarding the income of another family member, would change the targeted nature of the scheme.
There will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme was introduced. Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme are available to 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.
