Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

70. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the new over 70s fuel allowance scheme will open for applications for persons from County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59183/22]

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

128. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when the new over 70s fuel allowance scheme will open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58838/22]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Could the Minister explain to the House the changes to the over 70s fuel allowance scheme? One of the most positive announcements made in the budget was the lifting of the threshold. Perhaps the Minister could provide details on the scheme.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | 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.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is one of the most progressive social protection announcements I have ever seen. It is a very positive move and could not have come at a better time. As we know, people are struggling with the cost of fuel. My office has been inundated with inquiries from people looking for information on this since the budget.

The Minister may recall that in advance of the budget I brought to her attention the case of a woman who worked hard all her life and had reared her family. Due to a small occupational pension, she was above the threshold for the fuel allowance. She will now qualify under the new threshold, which is very important to her and gives her huge security.

Based on the figures provided by the Minister, about 3,000 households in my constituency of Kerry will benefit from the scheme. That is an enormous number of people. It will provide people who are fearful in the current crisis of not being able to stay warm during the winter with great security. I thank the Minister and congratulate her on her efforts.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I too warmly welcome this reform. It is expansionary. The Minister is to be commended for replicating what was done with the medical card for those aged over 70. The Minister might have the figures for County Clare, which I would be interested in seeing. I have received a lot of queries about the scheme. Some people may qualify for it. Does the Department have any plans to inform the public of the change?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As I said, during the budget one of the measures I was keen to prioritise was an expansion of the fuel allowance for older people. Both Deputies Carey and Griffin raised those issues with me. They said that a lot of pensioners do not qualify for the fuel allowance. I listen to what is said across the House, not just on one side. The evidence is there that older people are more vulnerable to the cold. The one thing I do not want to see as a Minister is a situation where an old person is afraid to turn on the heat. We all have parents and grandparents and none of us wants to see them sitting in the cold saying they cannot turn the heat on. That is why I brought in this completely new means test for those who are over 70. As Deputies know, a single person can have an income of €500 and a couple can have an income of €1,000 under the scheme. There is another important point that I want to explain. A lot of people did not get the fuel allowance because they were not in receipt of a social welfare payment to qualify for it. That particularly affected civil servants because they did not get a social welfare payment so we are changing that. That means low-paid civil servants will qualify.

Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

That is an important inclusion and that is helpful to many people. I welcome the efforts that have been made to help cope with what will effectively be an avalanche of applications, with talk of 80,000 applications. I hope the systems are up to scratch. Should there be delays it is reassuring to know that any application will be backdated to 2 January. That is important to try to give reassurance to people who may otherwise be afraid to turn on the heating or put the extra few lumps of coal on the fire. Even if their applications are not processed rapidly they will be backdated. That is welcome and I thank the Minister for clarifying that here. I ask that as much information as possible would be communicated offline and through mainstream media to the target audience between now and the opening of the scheme because people are keen for news on it. I ask that there are offline facilities to assist people with the application process. It would be important to provide that.

Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

On the form itself, the Minister said she expects it to come out in early December. It is important it is a simple form that is understandable and readable and that it can be turned around quickly. Is there a closing date for the application period or will it remain open? Will individuals be able to apply on an ongoing basis?

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in congratulating the Minister on this initiative, which will make a massive difference. Both of my colleagues have alluded to the need for information so that people know about this. It would be a shame if people did not know about it and missed it. I draw the Minister's attention to the fact that some of the citizens information outreach centres have still not opened since the pandemic. The Minister might ask her officials to have a look at this and to make sure the citizens information outreach centres are open, where they were prior to the pandemic, across the country. This will mean that people, including those who are not used to online applications, can go in, sit down and get the information, support and help they need to make the application for this fantastic scheme and for other schemes that the Minister has brought in during her time.

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I also want to welcome this scheme. Like previous speakers, information will be critical because I have been inundated with phone calls and people calling into the office. People are also going to social welfare offices for information. It is so important that elderly people get this and a lot of them do not do online applications. When it comes to the social welfare offices, has the Minister thought about recruiting extra personnel for a few months? They may be needed in January or even in December. People have contacted me and they are delighted with this but extra personnel could be important for the social welfare offices. As the Minister said, the staff there work so hard but their phones are constantly ringing and people are looking for information. How can we get the information out as quickly as possible? Is the Minister looking at recruiting more staff until we get the bulk of the applications processed? This is a welcome move for the 80,000 people who need this assistance most; they are the most vulnerable.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are 372,000 recipients of fuel allowance. We are expecting about 81,000 people to apply, although we do not know exactly what the number will be. We will have an online form out before Christmas. We will have it out as soon as we can. We are working on it and the officials have been working long hours to design it because you have to be careful with anything that goes online. There will be a paper form in due course but speed is of the essence. I am sure there will be plenty of young people around over Christmas and if their elderly relatives are stuck with the online form then the young people will be good in making the applications for their grandparents if necessary. We will have a paper-based application but the online one is coming up first because we want to try to do this as quickly as possible. The good news is that when you get your application in, it will be backdated to 1 January. We want to make sure people get this payment and we are launching this to help older people and give them the sense of security that they can switch on their heaters if they want to.