Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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120. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to reconsider a decision to refuse free fuel allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39592/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Fuel Allowance (FA) may be payable to certain households in receipt of long term social welfare payments. The allowance is subject to a means test and is paid only to those who live alone or with certain exempted people. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household.

An application for FA was last received from the person concerned on 23 September 2024. The application was refused on the grounds that his household is an unqualified one for FA. The information available to my Department was that the spouse of the person in question is in paid employment and is not an exempted person within the household for the purposes of the scheme. The person referred to was notified of the decision to refuse his application on 23 September 2024.

It is open to the person in question to apply again for FA if his household circumstances change.

I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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121. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection to reconsider a decision to refuse back-to-school allowance in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39593/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year.

In order to qualify for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s weekly household income to be within the relevant income limits.

The Weekly Household Income Limits for 2024 are:

The household income includes weekly social protection payments, gross income from employment, minus employees PRSI and a €20 travel allowance and any other income the household may have.

Any income from Child Benefit, Rent Supplement, Working Family Payment, Back to Work Family Dividend, Guardian’s Payments, Domiciliary Care Allowance, Blind Welfare Allowance, Foster Care Allowance, Higher Level Education grants, or rehabilitative employment (up to €165 per week) is not assessable.

A review of the eligibility to the allowance for the person concerned has been undertaken and their application for the allowance has not been awarded as their weekly household income is in excess of the relevant income limit. Details of the income assessed has been sent to the person concerned.

Applications which fall outside the normal rules of the scheme may be considered for an Additional Needs Payment under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to contact their local Community Welfare Service. There is a National Community Welfare Service Contact Centre in place – 0818-607080 – which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.