John McGuinness
Question:450. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if an application for fuel allowance in the name of a person (details supplied) will be re-examined. [6540/24]
View answerTuesday, 13 February 2024
Questions (450)
Written answers
Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) which is paid from late September to April to assist households with their energy costs.
Under the current qualifying conditions for fuel allowance, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition. In this case, the person concerned is residing with his spouse who is in employment and not in receipt of a qualifying payment from my Department. As the household composition criteria are not satisfied, the person concerned is not eligible for Fuel allowance.
If the circumstances of the person concerned change, it is open to him to re-apply for the allowance. Alternatively, when he reaches age 70, the household composition criteria in respect of his spouse will not be applied although he will still be subject to a means test.
If the person concerned has significant outgoings and exceptional heating needs due to ill health or infirmity, they can apply for a heating supplement, a support paid under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. Each claim is assessed taking into account the individual circumstances of the case.
It is also open to him to apply for an increase for a qualified adult (IQA) for his spouse on his State Pension (contributory).
The IQA is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.
Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is payable. Where their weekly means are over €100 and not more than €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.