Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a fuel allowance and the living alone allowance increase will be extended to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry who has a modest occupational pension and is struggling with the cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59630/22]

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. 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.

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.

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.

From next January, for applicants aged 70 and over, there is a new means test threshold of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. Under the formula used to assess means for the Fuel Allowance for over 70s, the threshold for capital that is disregarded in the assessment will increase from €20,000 to €50,000. Also, from next January, an over-70 applicant no longer needs to be in receipt of a qualifying payment. Household composition rules continue to apply.

The Government is very aware of the increased cost of living and in Budget 2023 implemented significant measures to help people with these additional costs. These measures include non-social protection measures including a further €600 in energy credits.

Furthermore, the Department of Social Protection provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have 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.