Fuel allowance eligibility may soon extend to Working Family Payment recipients

IN A QUESTION and response session in the Dáil Éireann, Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, addressed concerns regarding the potential extension of fuel allowance eligibility to families receiving the Working Family Payment.

The issue was raised by Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne, prompting a comprehensive explanation of the current system and the potential implications of such an extension.

The Fuel Allowance, a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (totaling €924 annually), is provided to eligible households to assist with energy costs.

The payment is made from late September to April, with an estimated expenditure of €412 million in the year 2023. Currently, the allowance is granted to social welfare recipients who are reliant on their welfare payments as a substantial portion of their income. This includes pensioners, individuals with disabilities, lone parents, and the long-term unemployed.

Minister Humphreys highlighted the vulnerability of individuals on long-term social welfare payments, explaining that these recipients often lack additional financial resources and are more susceptible to poverty, including energy poverty.

On the other hand, the Working Family Payment is designed to provide financial support to families with children. Unlike long-term social welfare payments, this payment is linked to full-time employment and recipients are more likely to have supplementary financial resources.

While the Working Family Payment does not typically qualify for the Fuel Allowance, an exception exists for those simultaneously receiving the One Parent Family Payment.

In response to an amendment proposed during the Committee Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2023, Minister Humphreys has commissioned a report to assess the potential expansion of fuel allowance eligibility to families receiving the Working Family Payment.

The Minister has tasked officials from the Department of Social Protection with conducting this analysis, which is still in progress. Once the report is complete, Minister Humphreys has committed to carefully considering its findings and any recommendations it may contain.