Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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383. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will extend the qualifying criteria for the fuel allowance in cases in which a household member is in receipt of a social welfare benefit payment such as partial disablement benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44737/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. 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.

The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct limited resources in as targeted a manner as possible. 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.

Disablement Benefit is a benefit under the Occupational Injuries Scheme. It can be paid to a recipient who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty because of an accident at work, an accident travelling directly to or from work, or a prescribed disease contracted at work. The contribution requirements for the scheme are minimal when compared to other Departmental benefit schemes.

People in receipt of Disablement Benefit (without another social welfare payment) can work full or part time and continue to receive the Benefit Payment – in other words, they are not prevented from generating additional income.

Disablement Benefit is paid at the same time as most social welfare payments including Jobseeker’s Benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, State Pension and One-Parent Family Payment. It is not considered as means for most social welfare means-assessed schemes except for Fuel Allowance, Supplementary Welfare Allowance or Working Family Payment.

Incapacity Supplement is an increase payable in addition to Disablement Benefit where a person is considered to be permanently incapable of work as a result of an occupational accident or disease and does not qualify for another Social Welfare benefit such as Illness Benefit. This Incapacity Supplement is a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance.

Therefore, while Disablement Benefit on its own is a disqualifying payment for Fuel Allowance because a person may continue to work or take up work, or may receive another social welfare payment in parallel, qualification for Incapacity Supplement in addition to Disablement Benefit qualifies that recipient for Fuel Allowance (subject to satisfying all other qualifying criteria).

I have asked officials in my Department to prepare a report reviewing the treatment of Disablement Benefit under the Fuel Allowance scheme. This report is now being finalised and the report's contents and recommendations will be considered in the context of the forthcoming budget.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.