Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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109. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the proposals to improve the criteria for the free fuel allowance in cases in which a family member may return to live with a parent on a temporary basis, who normally resides on their own and who is in receipt of the free fuel allowance due to housing or domestic difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34869/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks - or a total of €924 each year - from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022.  The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs.  The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.

The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible.  To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including the household composition criteria.  This ensures that the fuel allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

An adult child of a householder moving back into the family home may result in a reduction of additional allowances such as the fuel allowance payment previously held by the householder.  However, the economies of scale from living together should mean that a contribution towards household costs by the person moving in would compensate for any such reduction in payments from my Department. 

A change in the qualifying criteria such as that proposed by the Deputy, disregarding the income of the returning family member, would change the targeted nature of the scheme and would likely result in payments being directed to households with significant income. 

There will always be exceptional cases and it is for this reason that the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme was introduced.  In the event that the return of a family member into the household results in a reduction in fuel allowance payment with no compensating contribution by the family member, then a payment may be made in the form of a fuel supplement under this scheme.

Additional costs would also arise if the criteria were relaxed in the manner suggested by the Deputy and any decision to change the criteria for the Fuel Allowance scheme would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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111. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that it can take several months to resume a suspended payment in certain cases such as in the case of a person (details supplied); if her Department is undertaking work to reduce these delays and if she will make a statement on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34280/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66.  This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical examination, a means test and Habitual Residence conditions.

My Department periodically reviews claims to ensure there is continued entitlement. 

In this case a medical review was instigated on 4 November 2019.  Following review, it was determined the medical evidence submitted did not indicate the person concerned continued to satisfy the necessary medical condition for receipt of DA.

The person concerned was notified on 20 November 2021 of the outcome, the reason for it and of their right of review and/or appeal.  The Department terminated the person’s Disability Allowance payment on 15 December 2021 and this was communicated to the customer.  The person concerned requested a review, submitting further medical evidence in support of this on 4 January 2022.

Having reviewed the claim, the decision of the Deciding Officer was upheld.  The person concerned was notified of same 10 February 2022.

The person concerned submitted an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in April 2022 and submitted additional comprehensive information regarding their medical condition.  A Deciding Officer completed a further review on 8 June 2022, taking account of all information provided and decided that the person concerned met the medical conditions for receipt of DA.

Accordingly, DA was awarded to the person concerned with arrears of allowance due from 15 December 2021 to 8 June 2022 issuing on same date.

The person concerned was notified of this review on 8 June 2022, the reason for it and of their right of review and/or appeal.

Reviews involving ongoing entitlement to Disability Allowance based on medical criteria may involve customers providing further medical evidence over a period of time.  It is important that anyone who is advised that their claim is the subject of a review should provide as much information as possible when this information is requested.  This will enable a decision to be made more quickly and reduce the likelihood of payment being stopped. 

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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112. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of persons who have made applications for the rent supplement or supplementary welfare allowance or exceptional needs payments from 1 May to 24 June 2022 from the Intreo Offices in Cork Street and Bishop Square, Dublin; and if there has been an increase in applications since her Department advertised the service. [34874/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. 

Supports provided under the scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Exceptional Needs Payments and Urgent Needs Payments, also known as Additional Needs Payments.

The table below provides a breakdown of basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA), Additional Needs Payments (ANP), Supplements and Rent Supplement claims received during the period 01/05/2022 to 24/06/2022:

The advertising campaign ran from 07/06/2022 – 05/07/2022 and there has been no substantial increase in applications received in these areas to date.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.