Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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728. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the total number of persons aged 70 years and over receiving the household benefits package; and the number of that cohort who are also in receipt of fuel allowance.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55544/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits Package comprises an electricity or gas allowance and a television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment, or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under age 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. Only one Household Benefits package is payable per household.

Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is made over the winter season, at €33 weekly, or if preferred by way of two lump sum payments one at the start of the season and one in early January. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household.

I was pleased, as part of Budget 2023, to secure changes to expand the qualifying criteria for the Fuel Allowance scheme by introducing new conditionality for applicants over age 70, extending the scheme to applicants over 70 years who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment, increasing the means disregard from €120 to €200 per week, and additional disregards relating to certain social welfare payments. It is estimated that up to 81,000 additional customers may qualify under the new measures announced.

At the end of 2021, the Household Benefits package was in payment to almost 336,600 recipients aged 70 or over. According to my Department's records, almost 64,800 of these individual claimants were in receipt of Fuel Allowance. However, it is important to note that Fuel Allowance may be in payment to a different qualified claimant within the household of the over 70 Household Benefits recipient. It should also be noted that while only one of either scheme payment is payable per qualified household, the individual claimant may differ and some households may not be eligible for both payments.

I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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730. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will examine the payment of illness benefit to a person (details supplied); and if she will consider same for double payments. [55552/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned is currently in receipt of the full personal rate of Illness Benefit, €208 per week. This will increase by €12 to €220 per week in January 2023 as part of Budget 2023. Illness Benefit is not one of the social welfare benefits that qualifies for the double payments announced as part of Budget 2023.

Illness Benefit is intended for people with short duration illnesses who will return to work relatively quickly. The average duration on the scheme is approximately six days and it is payable for a maximum of two years subject to eligibility conditions being met. For individuals with longer term needs they may apply for an Invalidity Pension or Disability Allowance.

If the person concerned is experiencing difficulties in meeting his basic financial commitments it is also open to him to contact the Community Welfare Service at his local Intreo Centre to see if he might qualify for assistance under the terms of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

I trust this clarifies the position.