Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

23. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if her Department will pre-process applications for fuel allowance for new applicants who will qualify in January 2023 as a result of measures included in Budget 2023 to avoid any backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50286/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As part of the overall social welfare Budget 2023 package of almost €2.2 Billion, I was pleased to secure a major expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme, which will benefit up to 81,000 households.

From January 2023, the allowable means threshold for those aged under 70 will increase by €80 from €120 to €200 per week above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory). Disablement Benefit will be disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes and will no longer result in a household being disqualified because a person in the household is in receipt of that payment. In addition, Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payments will be disregarded for Fuel Allowance means assessment purposes.

From January 2023, there will be a new means threshold for people aged 70 and over, of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. This represents a significant expansion of the means test for this cohort. Applicants aged 70 and over no longer have to be in receipt of a qualifying payment to access Fuel Allowance, provided they satisfy the means test and the household composition rules.

Many of these households will also benefit from the additional cost of living payments which will be paid between now and the end of the year. The enhanced electricity credit of €600 is a further Government measure that will benefit those in households to whom access to Fuel Allowance is extended from January 2023, with the first €200 to be applied to electricity bills before Christmas.

Officials at my Department are working on the operational requirements for the implementation of these budget measures. The priority is to make the necessary IT system changes to deliver the additional payments between now and the end of the year. These include the double-week in social welfare payments in October and December, the Fuel Allowance payment of €400 for qualified recipients in the week commencing 14 November, the living alone payment of €200 and the €500 payment for people with disabilities, for those in receipt of Working Family Payment, and for carers in November 2022. This work must take precedence.

It is anticipated that the required IT system changes to allow my officials to process applications under the new Fuel Allowance criteria will be in place from Quarter 1, with payments backdated to January 2023.