Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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130. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will give consideration to extending the fuel allowance to households in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15181/23]

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 Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income.

People on long term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty. It is for this reason that the Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.

The Working Family Payment is a weekly, tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to families with children with rates depending on their incomes and family size. It is not considered a long-term Social Protection payment and recipients are in full time employment and are more likely to have additional resources.

While Working Family Payment (WFP) is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, people may receive Fuel Allowance while on WFP if they are in receipt of One Parent Family Payment.

I have asked my Department officials to prepare a report on the potential extension of eligibility for the Fuel Allowance to those in receipt of the Working Family Payment. The work is ongoing and when finished, I will carefully consider its contents and any recommendations that it may contain.

Finally, 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 trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.