Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 128 together.

Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other low-income households with their winter heating costs. I was very conscious, when addressing my budget priorities for 2023, that many families and older people fall just outside the qualifying threshold for the fuel allowance. It was an absolute priority for me to expand the reach of the scheme. I was, therefore, pleased, as part of the social protection budget 2023 package of €2.2 billion, to announce that I had secured funding for the largest ever expansion of the fuel allowance scheme. It is estimated that the changes introduced will see up to 81,000 additional households qualify for the scheme.

I was particularly aware of the position of older people and, as part of the budget measures, I announced a new means test for those aged 70 and over which will commence in January 2023. A new weekly means threshold of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple is being introduced and applicants no longer need to be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment. I am also increasing the threshold for the capital disregard in the means assessment from €20,000 to €50,000.

The implementation of the over 70s expansion required significant system changes and IT development work. A new streamlined online fuel application process will be available to take applications on mywelfare.iein early December. This will be the easiest and quickest way to apply for the payment. Those who qualify will have their payments backdated to the week commencing 2 January 2023 or the date of their application if the claim is made after that date.

For applicants aged under 70, the means threshold is being increased by €80 per week, from €120 to €200 above the appropriate weekly rate of the State contributory pension. That means in January the means test will increase to €265 per week for a single person for those aged under 70. In addition, in the week commencing 14 November, a €400 additional lump sum payment was paid to all households in receipt of fuel allowance.

I want to get this up and running as quickly as possible because I do not know about other Deputies but I have a queue of people coming into my office wondering when they can get application forms. I understand they are anxious to get the payment. We have to do a bit of work on it and we want to make it streamlined and easy to follow. It takes some work to get things up online. We will do that as quickly as possible.

The basis of this was the over 70s medical card scheme. I modelled this scheme along those lines because I believe that when people are older they are more likely to get sick. That is why the medical card scheme for those aged over 70s was put in place. When people are older they are more likely to be colder, and that is why I wanted to introduce this new benefit.

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