Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
771. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending fuel allowance to all those on jobseeker's allowance and benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36960/23]
View answer772. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of extending fuel allowance to all those on illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36961/23]
View answer773. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of increasing fuel allowance to €40 per week and extending it to all those on JSA, JSB and illness benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36962/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 771, 772 and 773 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 approximately 404,250 households in receipt of Fuel Allowance.
The cost of extending the Fuel Allowance payment to all those in receipt of Illness Benefit is as Follows:
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
54,000 |
€49.9m |
|
€40 |
28 |
54,000 |
€60.5m |
The cost of extending the Fuel Allowance payment to all those in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit is as Follows: -
|
Weekly Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Number of additional Claims |
Estimated Yearly Cost |
|
€33 |
28 |
93,000 |
€85.9m |
|
€40 |
28 |
93,000 |
€104.2m |
Based on the estimated 404,250 recipients of the Fuel Allowance payment, the estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance payment to €40 a week for the duration of the 2023/24 period is as follows:
|
Weekly Increase to the Rate of Fuel Allowance |
Number of weeks payable |
Estimated Number of Recipients |
Estimated Additional Yearly Cost |
|
€7 |
28 |
404,250 |
€79.2 M |
The estimated total cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to all those in receipt of IB, JSA and JB and increasing the weekly rate for all recipients to €40 is estimated to be in the region of €243.9m.
Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance or to increase the weekly rate payable would have to be considered in a budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
