Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other longer-term social welfare dependent households with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalment payments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.

In Budget 2023, Government announced the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance Scheme. The changes introduced were:

• from January 2023, the introduction of a new means threshold for people aged 70 years and over, of €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple;
• in addition, for applicants aged 70 or over, the amount of capital (savings and investments) disregarded in the means test for Fuel Allowance was increased from €20,000 to €50,000. (Savings over €50,000 are assessed on a proportionate basis only); and,
• from January 2023, Disablement Benefit and Half-rate Carer’s Allowance payments were disregarded when assessing means for Fuel Allowance purposes. Disablement Benefit also no longer debars a household from receiving the Fuel Allowance payment.

At the beginning of the 2022/23 Fuel Allowance season in September 2022, there were over 369,000 recipients of Fuel Allowance. By the end of the Fuel Allowance season in April 2023, the total number of households supported had increased to over 404,000. It should be noted that the number of qualified households continuously fluctuates, as recipients join and exit the scheme as their circumstances change.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Household Benefits Package helps towards the costs of electricity or gas bills. It also includes a television licence. Only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household, and the person must reside full time in Ireland.

For those aged 70 or over, it is not means tested and they do not need to be getting a qualifying payment. If a person is aged between 66 and 70, they may still get the package if they meet the necessary conditions.

Qualifying payments between age 66 and 70

- State Pension (Contributory)

- State Pension (Non-contributory)

- Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension

- Deserted Wife's Benefit

- Carer's Allowance

- A Garda Widow's Ordinary Pension from the Department of Justice

- A Social Security Pension/Benefit covered by EU laws or from a country Ireland has a Social Security Agreement with

- Incapacity Supplement (for at least 12 months) with Disablement Benefit

If a person is aged between 66 and 70 and is not getting a qualifying payment, then they must satisfy a means test. Other persons under the age of 66 may also qualify for Household Benefits in certain circumstances (for example, if they are in receipt of a disability-related payment).

The records of the Department show the totals recipients for each scheme and indicate the recipients of the Household Benefits Package by scheme, as outlined in the following table. As stated previously, only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household.

Primary Scheme	Total Recipients during Quarter 2 2023	Household Benefits recipients by scheme at end Quarter 2 2023*
Blind Pension	1,007	402
Carer's Allowance	96,071	41,028
Deserted Wife's Benefit	4,458	2,262
Disability Allowance	162,075	60,093
Disablement Benefit	14,728	4,252
Invalidity Pension	57,575	17,889
State Pension Contributory	498,681	237,773
State Pension Non-Contributory	100,238	52,355
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension	127,199	74,429
Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension	1,133	152
No Primary Scheme	N/A	33,418

* Where a recipient is in receipt of more than one qualifying scheme (for example, half-rate Carer's Allowance and another qualifying scheme), this will be reflected in the totals for each scheme.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.