Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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611. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the working family payment renewal for a person (details supplied); when the payment will recommence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14409/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children.  To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them.

The department requested payslip details from the person concerned on 14 February 2022 and a response was received on 08 March 2022.  Further employment related information was requested by the department on 10 March 2022. The claim was reviewed and awarded at a rate of €44 per week on 15 March 2022. The person concerned has been advised in writing of their award and arrears have issued. The person concerned will receive their weekly payment including arrears by 24 March due to the public holidays on 17and 18 March.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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612. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for the fuel allowance by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14415/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, 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.

The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons. The threshold for the fuel allowance means test is €120.00 above the maximum weekly rate of state pension (contributory). 

The income of the person concerned exceeds the permissible weekly means for fuel allowance qualification purposes. Where applicants exceed the permissible income limit, marginally or otherwise, there is no scope for discretion. The application was disallowed and the person concerned was notified in writing on 22 February 2022.

If the person’s circumstances change, it is open to them to reapply for fuel allowance.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, Exceptional Needs Payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources, and this may include exceptional heating costs.  Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.