Written answers

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Payments

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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120. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there are plans to revise the means testing criteria for the fuel allowance, specifically concerning the calculation of an applicant's income which currently includes the gross income of any family member living with them; if the Government will consider only taking into account the net contribution made by the family member towards the household; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28490/24]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather 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 €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The criteria for fuel allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. The means test ensures that the Fuel Allowance is paid only to those most 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.

In Budget 2023 there was a significant increase in the allowable means for Fuel Allowance purposes allowing many more households to qualify for the payment.

Amending the means test further could mean that the Fuel Allowance would no longer be a targeted payment and could result in payment to households with significant extra resources and who do not need financial support towards the heating of their homes.

While consideration is always given to suggested improvements to the Department's schemes, any decision to change the current means assessment for Fuel Allowance could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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