Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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384. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there are plans under way to ensure that adequate support is provided to home-dialysis patients in the context of the current energy and cost-of-living crisis to ensure that this patient group continue to receive their lifesaving and sustaining treatment at home and can afford same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2711/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock.

With regard to income supports, my Department provides a range of schemes to assist with energy costs subject to satisfying the relevant qualifying conditions. These include -

- The Fuel Allowance which is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (giving a total per recipient of €924 each year) from late September to April (estimated to cost €412 million in 2023).

- Electricity or gas allowances under the Household Benefits scheme.

- A special heating supplement under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

- Exceptional needs payments to help meet an essential once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources.

Furthermore, in Budget 2023, the Government provided an unprecedented response that aims to ease the financial pressure on households throughout the State.

As part of the Government's cost of living measures in Budget 2023, an Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment was paid to Social Protection recipients in October. In November, a €200 Lump Sum Payment was paid to pensioners and people with a disability receiving the Living Alone Allowance, a €500 lump sum was paid to people receiving Carer’s Support Grant and a €500 lump sum was paid to people in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension. A €400 additional Lump Sum payment was made to all households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance Payment.

In December, a Christmas Bonus Double Payment was paid to 1.3 million Social Protection recipients including pensioners, carers and people with disabilities.

From January 2023,the maximum rate of core Social Welfare rates was increased by €12 per week. There were proportionate increases for qualified adults and for people getting a reduced rate. The weekly full rate for a qualified child was increased to €42 for children under 12 years of age and to €50 for children aged 12 years and over.

Also, from January 2023, a new means threshold for the Fuel Allowance scheme was introduced for people aged 70 years and over. The new means threshold is €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. The weekly means threshold for those aged under 70 was increased by €80 to €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory). Similarly, the allowable means for HHB purposes for those aged between 66-69 not in receipt of a qualifying payment was increased by €80 to €200 above the appropriate rate of State Pension (Contributory).

The enhanced electricity credit of €600 is another important Government measure announced in the Budget. This will also benefit all households. The first €400 was applied to electricity bills in November and January.

The Government will continue to monitor the cost-of-living situation closely.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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385. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if home-dialysis patients can be included in the fuel allowance scheme given that they carry out their life sustaining and saving treatments in their own homes at a significant saving to the State and due to their condition require adequate heat; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2712/23]

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 €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the relevant qualifying criteria including a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at 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.

Fuel Allowance can only be awarded if an applicant satisfies the qualifying conditions and cannot be awarded solely due to a person’s medical circumstances.

The Fuel Allowance payment is not the only support the Department provides to help people with their heating bills. The Household Benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is freely available to those aged 70 or over irrespective of if they are in receipt of a Social Welfare payment. The gas and electricity element are paid at a rate of €35 per month, 12 months of the year.

The Department of Social Protection also 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.

In addition, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, a special heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs (e.g. in the case of ill health, infirmity or a medical condition).

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.