Peadar Tóibín
Question:146. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the fuel allowance in each of the past ten years, 2023 inclusive. [53694/23]
View answerThursday, 7 December 2023
Questions (146)
Written answers
The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is made over the winter season - from September to April - at the weekly rate of €33 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum instalments - one in September and one in January. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
In Budget 2023, I introduced a more generous means test for those aged over 70, with a higher means threshold of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. From 5th January 2024, the means thresholds for over those aged over 70 will increase to €512 per week for a single person over 70 and €1,024 per week for a couple. Applicants aged over 70 no longer need to be receiving a qualifying social protection payment and the threshold for the capital disregard increased from €20,000 to €50,000. For those aged under 70, the means threshold was increased by €80 and is now €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension Contributory for the household.
As part of Budget 2024, a €300 cost of living lump sum payment was paid to all recipients of the Fuel Allowance during the week commencing 20th November.
In relation to the number of persons who are in receipt of Fuel Allowance, the Department generally collates this data on an annual basis. Over the past 10 years, at the end of December each year, the records of the Department indicate that the Fuel Allowance scheme supported the following number of households:
In 2014, there were 408,242 households receiving the Fuel Allowance.
In 2015: 392,190 households.
In 2016: 379,406 households.
In 2017: 370,631 households.
In 2018: 380,463 households*.
In 2019: 369,255 households.
In 2020: 375,269 households.
In 2021: 374,861 households.
In 2022: 393,767 households.
At the end of October 2023, there were 409,440 households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance.
* Numbers on TUS, Rural Social Schemes and Community Employment Schemes receiving the Fuel Allowance are included from 2018 onwards.
It should be noted that the number of recipients fluctuates as people join and exit the scheme, as their circumstances change.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.