Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:160. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated full-year cost of including the working family payment as a qualifying payment for fuel allowance. [15921/24]
View answerThursday, 11 April 2024
Questions (160)
Written answers
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 €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.
The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.
The estimated cost of including the Working Family Payment as a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance is €22 million. This is based on 24,000 additional households qualifying for Fuel Allowance at a weekly rate of €33 and a 28-week fuel season.
Any further widening of the qualifying criteria for accessing the fuel allowance scheme can only be considered while taking account of the overall policy and budgetary situation.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.