Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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1666. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the issue of persons who transfer from homeless payments to jobseeker's payments after being housed and who do not technically fit the criteria to qualify for fuel allowance will be examined (details supplied). [1778/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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In order to be eligible for fuel allowance, a person in receipt of jobseeker's allowance must be in receipt of payment for 390 days, satisfy a household means test and live alone or only with certain other qualified people. Where a person does not satisfy these conditions they will not be entitled to the fuel allowance. Unfortunately, the person referred to by the Deputy does not have the required 390 days in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance. He had previously been in receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance but the period of time spent on that payment does not count towards the 390 day requirement.

The fuel allowance is a means tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments to provide for their heating needs. The payment is not intended to meet those costs in full but rather subsidise a person’s fuel costs and only one allowance is paid per household.

The jobseeker’s schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment.

In addition to the jobseeker’s allowance and jobseeker's benefit schemes my Department offers other supports including the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme which provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment and/or a weekly/monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, including rent, fuel as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENP) and urgent needs payments (UNP).

I have no plans to change the qualifying conditions for the fuel allowance scheme at present.