Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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215. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person (details supplied) who has been on a community employment scheme for four years should be eligible for fuel allowance, given that if they had remained on jobseeker’s allowance for that duration they would now qualify; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48753/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Fuel Allowance payment is to assist households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.

The Fuel Allowance payment is targeted towards those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they continue to receive the Fuel Allowance payment while participating on the scheme, once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

If the CE participant was not in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment prior to starting on CE t,hey may still apply for and potentially qualify for Fuel Allowance.

From the 1^stSeptember 2022, the period a person must be in receipt of Jobseeker's allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) to access the Fuel Allowance scheme is reduced to 12 months. This will also benefit people on CE who previously have been in receipt of the above payments for greater than 312 days but who did not meet the 390-day requirement.

A fuel allowance application form will be sent to the person concerned. The completed form should be returned to the Department of Social Protection Employment Programmes Section, Unit 5, Bridgepoint, Abbey Square, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

The application will be reviewed on receipt, and a decision taken as to their entitlement or otherwise to fuel allowance.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.