Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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501. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the fuel allowance has not been paid to persons in receipt of full contributory pension and in receipt of an illness benefit payment when their total income is less than the maximum means of €343.30; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41093/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs. It is a secondary payment, which increases the weekly rate of a primary payment.

The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must -

- be in receipt of a qualifying payment, and

- satisfy a means test, and

- either be living alone, or living with their spouse/dependent children, or other persons with a qualifying payment.

Such qualifying payments do not include Social Insurance based payments that are classed as short-term payments (less than 12 months), e.g., Jobseeker's Benefit and Illness Benefit, which are not means tested payments.

If the Deputy has a particular case in mind he should provide the details to my officials who will examine it to ensure the person in question is claiming their full entitlements.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.