Richard Bruton
Question:661. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated number of people eligible for the free fuel scheme after the implementation of the changes made earlier this year. [40719/23]
View answerWednesday, 20 September 2023
Questions (661)
Written answers
Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other longer-term social welfare dependent households with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalment payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
In Budget 2023, Government announced the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme. The changes introduced were:
• from January 2023, the introduction of a new means threshold for people aged 70 years and over, of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple;
• in addition, for applicants aged 70 or over, the amount of capital (savings and investments) disregarded in the means test for Fuel Allowance was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. (Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only); and,
• from January 2023, Disablement Benefit and Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payments were disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes. Disablement Benefit also no longer debars a household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.
At the beginning of the 2022/23 Fuel Allowance season in September 2022, there were over 369,000 recipients of Fuel Allowance. By the end of the Fuel Allowance season in April 2023, the total number of households supported had increased to over 404,000. It should be noted that the number of qualified households continuously fluctuates, as recipients join and exit the scheme as their circumstances change.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.