Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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460. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who is in receipt of an occupational private pension and who is living alone can apply for the living alone increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53159/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Deserted Wife's Benefit , and who are living alone.

It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

The Living Alone Allowance is not means tested and the payment is made as an increase to the recipient’s primary social welfare payment.

A claimant must be in receipt of a primary Social Protection payment in order to qualify for the Living Alone Allowance.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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461. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who is in receipt of a private occupational pension with no entitlement to a State pension can apply for the winter fuel allowance if they meet the means criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53160/22]

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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

In Budget 2023, I was pleased to announce the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme. As part of this, from January 2023, a new means test will be introduced for over 70s. Under the new means test, a single person over 70 will be able to have income of €500 per week and a couple will be able to have income of €1,000 per week and still qualify for Fuel Allowance

Those aged 70 or over will also no longer be required to be in receipt of a qualify Social Welfare payment to be able to access the Fuel Allowance payment. All other relevant qualifying conditions for the Fuel Allowance payment will have to be satisfied.

For those under age 70, to receive the fuel allowance payment, an applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment, satisfy a means test and the household composition test. 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 those who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.