Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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792. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will consider increasing the fuel allowance for single people, as many are finding it increasingly difficult to heat their homes, with rising costs and so on, especially senior citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48846/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025. Any decision to increase the rate of Fuel Allowance payable will require additional funding for the scheme and could only be considered in a wider budgetary and policy context.

My Department does of course pay the Living Alone Increase to those who live alone to compensate for the additional individual costs of living alone when compared to a couple or family. The Living Alone Increase is an extra payment for people who are living alone and getting certain social welfare payments. The living Alone Increase is paid at an addition weekly rate of €22 or €1,144 a year. The yearly rate of Living Alone Increase at €1,144 is higher than that of the Fuel Allowance payment of €924 and is not payable to couples.

Finally, 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. If your constituent believes that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment, they should 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.