Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 November 2022
270. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if she is considering changing the rules for fuel allowance in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56069/22]
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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.
The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition criteria. 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.
An adult child living with a householder may result in a reduction of additional allowances such as the Fuel Allowance payment to a householder. However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a contribution towards household costs by the person would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as that proposed by the Deputy would change the targeted nature of the scheme and would likely result in payments being directed to households with significant income.
Therefore, there are no plans to amend the Fuel Allowance qualifying criteria to allow for the payment of Fuel Allowance in the circumstances outlined by the Deputy.
There will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that 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.
