Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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180. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider altering the criteria for the means test for fuel allowance to allow a greater income threshold for those living alone considering the fixed cost of maintaining a household; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30738/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment a person must satisfy all relevant qualifying criteria including satisfying a means test. The means test ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own.

The increased allowable means threshold for people who are married, cohabiting or in a civil partnership, acknowledges that the overall cost of living for this cohort is higher than for a single person.

While my Department's schemes are reviewed on an ongoing basis, any changes to the means test could only be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context.

However, my Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. 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 Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.