Seán Sherlock
Question:726. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer of extending the fuel allowance to those in receipt of fixed incomes and medical conditions. [36618/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 July 2023
Questions (726)
Written answers
The 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.
It is not possible for my Department to provide an accurate projection of the cost of the measure suggested by the Deputy. Qualification for fuel allowance is based on a number of complex qualifying criteria such as household composition and a means test.
Furthermore, my Department does not hold data on all households in receipt of a fixed income or in which a person with a medical condition resides.
Any decision to adjust the rules of Fuel Allowance to allow the cohort of people outlined by the Deputy to qualify for Fuel Allowance would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.