Written answers

Tuesday, 19 May 2015

Department of Social Protection

Fuel Allowance Payments

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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101. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will increase the free electricity allowance for persons with disabilities who have to use electric wheelchairs on a permanent basis and who have to recharge the batteries of the wheelchairs every night, as these additional costs should be taken into consideration in these cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19807/15]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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My Department pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits package to 415,000 customers, at an estimated cost of €227 million in 2015. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household rather than meet those costs in full.

The electricity allowance has a monthly value of €35 for both electricity and gas customers. The value of the allowance was protected in Budget 2015. Electric Ireland and Bord Gáis customers receive this amount as a credit on their bills. Customers who have switched to other companies receive a direct monthly cash payment. It does not increase where the customer uses more electricity, and there are no proposals for such a change. Any decision to increase the household benefits package would have budgetary consequences and would have to be considered in the context of budget negotiations.

Help will also continue to be available for people with special or additional energy needs through the exceptional needs payment scheme under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. There is no automatic entitlement to such payments. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

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