Written answers

Thursday, 25 November 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Benefits

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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52. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who no longer qualify for the fuel allowance due to their living circumstances changing as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and relatives returning to live with them due to care services closing, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58003/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather 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 369,000 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.

My Department cannot and does not request fuel allowance applicants to provide reasons for changes in their household composition. Accordingly, I cannot provide the information requested by the Deputy.

A person in receipt of fuel allowance must continue to satisfy all qualifying conditions for fuel allowance to remain in payment. It is my understanding that in some of the cases referred to by the Deputy, eligibility is affected because the applicant is in receipt of an additional payment from my Department of half-rate Carer's Allowance, which is paid at a rate which is significantly higher than the rate of fuel allowance.

While my Department's schemes are kept under constant review, any review or further extension of the fuel allowance qualifying criteria can only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Photo of Emer HigginsEmer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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54. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the extension of rent supplement for victims of domestic violence. [57540/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence is a cross government body of work involving Department of Justice, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) and associated agencies. The co-ordination of the services addressing the needs of these customers is managed by The Child and Family Agency, Tusla. The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through this joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide.

In August 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, I agreed to make rent supplement more accessible to victims of domestic violence. This has ensured that victims of domestic violence are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial or accommodation difficulties.

For victims of domestic violence the measure provides that the standard rent supplement means test does not apply for an initial three month period. After the initial three-month period, a further three-month extension may be provided, subject to the usual rent supplement means assessment. After six months, if the tenant has a long-term housing need, they can apply to their local housing authority for social housing supports and, if eligible, will be able to access the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), a social housing support provided by Local Authorities.

Access to rent supplement is additional and complementary to, and not a substitution for, the range of other supports already in place for victims of domestic violence.

Following a review of the measure after twelve months of operation involving all key stakeholders, I recently announced that victims of domestic violence will be granted easier access to rent supplement on a permanent basis. This ensures that victims of domestic violence can continue to get immediate access to rent supplement for a three month period to ensure that they are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial concerns.

There are 40 victims of domestic violence currently being supported under the Protocol, with 153 cases supported since the Protocol came into operation in August 2020.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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