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.

A person participating on a Community Employment scheme can qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment in certain circumstances.

If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can 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 going on the CE scheme, they may still apply for and qualify for Fuel Allowance in the following circumstances:

• If the CE scheme participant was in receipt of a long-term qualifying payment prior to going on the CE scheme, this will allow them to satisfy the qualifying payment element. However, all other qualifying conditions of Fuel Allowance must also be satisfied.
• Where the CE scheme participant has an established underlying entitlement to Fuel Allowance but is not in receipt of the allowance because another member of the household was receiving the payment, it is open to the CE scheme participant to apply for Fuel Allowance if these circumstances change, e.g., where the Fuel Allowance recipient leaves the address.

Any decision to extend the eligibility criteria for Fuel Allowance for other people participating on a CE scheme would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.

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 hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.