Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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581. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason persons who come off illness benefit and take-up a scheme lose their entitlement to the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52249/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, to 365,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. 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. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household.

Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance. Therefore, a person cannot receive the Fuel Allowance payment while on Illness Benefit and so cannot lose entitlement to the payment when taking up a place on a scheme.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.