Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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850. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if people who did not qualify for the fuel allowance in advance of starting a community employment scheme can now access the payment as the thresholds have changed, or if there is a mechanism in place to allow this to happen; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13806/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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As the Deputy is aware, the purpose of the Fuel Allowance payment is to assist households with their energy costs. The Fuel Allowance payment is targeted towards those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they continue to receive the Fuel Allowance payment while participating on the scheme, once they continue to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

If the CE participant was not in receipt of the Fuel Allowance payment prior to starting on CE they may still apply for and potentially qualify for Fuel Allowance.

From 1st September 2022, the period a person must be in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) to access the Fuel Allowance scheme, was reduced to 12 months. This will also benefit people on CE who previously have been in receipt of the above payments for greater than 312 days but who did not meet the 390-day requirement.

If a person wishes to apply for a Fuel Allowance they should complete an application form and forward it to the DSP scheme area they receive payment from. In the case of a participant on CE the completed application form should be forwarded to the participants underlying payment area, that is the office administering the payment they were on immediately prior to commencing on CE. Alternatively a person can apply online through their MyGovID account. A deciding officer will then review their entitlement to the allowance.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.