Seán Sherlock
Question:724. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost to the Exchequer of increasing the fuel allowance by €680.48. [36616/23]
View answerTuesday, 25 July 2023
Questions (724, 751)
Seán Sherlock
Question:751. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing fuel allowance by either €5 or €10 a week, or a flat €100 increase overall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36767/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 724 and 751 together.
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. Only one allowance is paid per household.
By the end of the 2022/23 fuel season, there were circa 404,250 households in receipt of Fuel Allowance.
Based on this estimate of 404,250 recipients of the Fuel Allowance payment, the estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance payment by €5 or €10 a week over the course of a 28-week Fuel Season is as follows: -
|
Weekly increase to the Fuel Allowance Payment |
Number of Weeks Payable |
Estimated Number of Recipients |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€5 |
28 |
404,250 |
€56.6m |
|
€10 |
28 |
404,250 |
€113.2m |
Similarly, based on an estimate of 404,250 recipients of the Fuel Allowance payment, the estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance payment by a flat rate of €100 over the course of the fuel season would be €40.4m.
Increasing the amount of fuel allowance received by €680.48 over the course of the fuel season would cost in the region of €275.1m. The actual cost would vary depending on the actual number of recipients per week.
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance or to increase the weekly or yearly rate payable would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.