Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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494. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who are in receipt of a State pension (non-contributory); the number of these who are in employment; the number who are in self-employment; and the number who have an occupational pension in tabular form. [7628/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The State Pension (Non-Contributory) Pension (SPNC) is a means-tested payment which takes into account income from employment and self-employment. The number of SPNC recipients at the end of 2020 was 95,465. Based on 2020 PRSI contribution data, 5,056 of these made at least one paid PRSI contribution in 2020 of which 23 made self-employed class contributions, 5,039 made non-self-employed class contributions and 6 made both self-employed and non self-employed class contributions. Under social welfare legislation any payments received by way of occupational, personal and public pensions, regardless of the person’s age, are not regarded as reckonable emoluments for PRSI purposes (i.e. no PRSI is charged on this income), and therefore the requested data on numbers who have an occupational pension and in receipt of SPNC is not available.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of recipients of fuel allowance in 2021 that were recipients of the State pension; the number that were 60 years of age or older; the number of additional recipients of fuel allowance in each case following the expansion of eligibility in Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7649/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In Budget 2022, I was pleased to announce a number of reforms to the Fuel Allowance scheme including an increase in the weekly rate by €5 to €33, and a €20 increase in the weekly income means threshold with both measures implemented with effect from budget night. It is estimated that around 400,000 households will benefit from the Fuel Allowance payment in 2022.

The Government is acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices. To help mitigate the effects of these rising costs, the Government has announced additional expenditure of €505 million to assist householders. As part of these measures, I have announced an additional lump sum payment of €125 payable to fuel allowance recipients. It is expected that this additional lump sum will be paid in early March at an estimated cost of €49 million.

In 2021, 78,378 state pension (contributory) customers received Fuel Allowance and 56,640 state pension (non-contributory) customers received the payment. The number of recipients of Fuel Allowance in 2021 aged 60 years and older was 214,568.

When the change in means threshold for the scheme was introduced, it was estimated that up to 7,800 additional households may qualify for Fuel Allowance. Officials are continuing to process applications for the Fuel Allowance and therefore the data on the number who have qualified under the expanded criteria is not available.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, discretionary payments can be made to help people with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may also be paid to assist people with exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity who cannot meet those costs. There are over 960 persons currently receiving this supplement. My Department also provides discretionary Exceptional Needs Payments to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. In 2021, over 2,300 exceptional needs payments of almost €735,000 were made to assist with electricity, heating and gas costs.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.