Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

460. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision on a review of a decision sought in relation to a carer's allowance refusal (details supplied) will issue; the reason for the delay with this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25879/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care.

It is a condition for receipt of Carer's Allowance that every claimant shall furnish such certificates, documents, information, and evidence as may be required for the purposes of deciding their claim including that requested by a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI).

A Carer's Allowance application was received from the person concerned on 30 June 2022. The application was referred to a local SWI on 4 July 2022 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of Carer’s Allowance are satisfied.

A Habitual Residency Condition (HRC) application also issued to the concerned person on 4 July 2022 and a reply was received on 19 July 2022.

The SWI requested further financial and employment information on 1 September 2022. As the person concerned failed to provide the requested information to the SWI and also failed to supply further HRC information to a Deciding Officer, it was not possible to determine if they are habitually resident in the state and that all conditions for receipt of Carer's Allowance were satisfied. The claim was therefore disallowed. The person concerned was notified on 30 November 2022 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of review and appeal.

Following receipt of email correspondence from the Deputy's office on 22 December 2022, a review of the decision dated 30 November 2022 was initiated on 30 December 2022. The outcome of this review was that there was no change to this decision.

The person concerned was notified on 24 May 2023 of this decision, the reason for it and of their right of appeal.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The purpose of the ENP is to assist people with essential expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their available resources.

The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case. Applications for ENPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service (CWS) in the Department.

In general, where ENP applications are made for assistance with the repair or replacement of kitchen appliances and as officers are not qualified in assessing the technicalities and mechanisms of kitchen appliances, a technical expert report may be required in some cases in support of these applications. The need for a customer to provide a report is made by a CWO on an individual case basis, taking into account the age of the item and the immediate need or urgency of the applicant.

If the CWO considers that a technical report is needed, the applicant can apply for a separate ENP to meet the cost of the report, and a payment can be made to the customer in advance of the report being completed.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned applied for an ENP for assistance with the replacement of kitchen appliances. A request for further information subsequently issued. A member of the CWS Team will contact the person concerned in the coming days to discuss how this application can be progressed.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

462. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she has considered what it would cost to extend the fuel allowance to persons who have been six months on an assistance payment, and to those in receipt of the working family payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25958/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

Because of the household and seasonal nature of the fuel allowance payment, it is difficult to provide an accurate estimate of the cost to extend the fuel allowance to persons who have been six months on an assistance payment, and to those in receipt of the working family payment.

Taking the above into consideration, the estimated cost of extending the fuel allowance payment to all those in receipt of the Working Family Payment (WFP) is €23.2 million. This estimate is based on a weekly fuel allowance rate of €33 and a payment period of 28 weeks.

With regards to the estimated cost to extend the Fuel Allowance to persons who have been six months in receipt of assistance type payments, this measure is expected to cost in the region of €19.7 million. This estimate is based on an additional 21,366 jobseeker allowance and basic supplementary allowance claims qualifying for fuel allowance at a rate of €33 and a payment period of 28 weeks.

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 my Department allocates additional payments, supports and resources such as Fuel Allowance to this cohort of claimants.

A person in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance and Basic Supplementary Allowance for over 12 months can access the Fuel Allowance payment, subject to satisfying the relevant qualifying criteria.

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

In response to an amendment tabled at Committee Stage of the the Social Welfare Bill 2023, 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.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.