Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1228. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection the proposals there are to provide specific social protection measures to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40343/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.
The criteria for fuel allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance, an applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and satisfy the household composition test. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.
While the Department's schemes are reviewed on an ongoing basis there are no plans to grant automatic access to the fuel allowance payment without regard to the qualifying criteria set out above. Any decision to do so would change the targeted nature of the scheme and would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
Finally, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
