Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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343. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the way in which a person who is in a house-sharing situation can avail of the fuel allowance as at present they are not eligible to claim under the current guidelines. [23831/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to 391,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €224 million in 2016. 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 and is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household. My Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits package to approximately 419,000 customers, at an estimated cost of €228 million in 2016.

For a person on a qualifying payment, the household composition that may allow them to receive fuel allowance would be either they live alone, or only with:

i. a qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant or qualified child(ren);

ii. a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the allowance in their own right.

iii. a person who is receipt of carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit in respect of providing full-time care and attention to the fuel allowance applicant or their qualified spouse/civil partner/cohabitant or qualified child(ren).

iv. a person receiving short-term jobseeker's allowance or basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (i.e., less than 391 days).

People who are in receipt of a qualifying contributory payment must also satisfy a means test.Fuel allowance is not paid if a person’s heating needs are provided for in full as part of their accommodation.

Any decision to change the qualifying conditions for fuel allowance would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.