Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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224. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the provision that is made for widowers and widows who are full-time carers who are not in receipt of a pension, can only avail of a half carer’s allowance and are not entitled to the fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48814/22]

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. Only one allowance is paid per 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.

The Government is very aware of the increased cost of living and in Budget 2023 has provided an unprecedented response that aims to ease the financial pressure on households throughout the State. Measures to help with the cost of living include:-

- Increases to core Social Welfare payments.

- A one off €500 payment to people getting the Carer's Support Grant.

- €600 credit to all domestic electricity customers which will be paid in 3 instalments.

- An expansion of those entitled to the Fuel Allowance payment.

A Half-Rate Carer's Allowance may be paid if a person is providing full-time care and is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment or becomes entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment. With effect from January 2023, the Half-Rate Carer's Allowance will be disregarded for Fuel Allowance purposes i.e. it will not be included in the means assessment.

The Department of Social Protection also provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people with an urgent need, which they cannot meet from their own resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.