871. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider updating the rule regarding fuel allowance for those on benefit payments (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1023/25]

The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year). It is paid from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household.

The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income. People on long-term payments are unlikely to have additional resources of their own and are more vulnerable to poverty, including energy poverty.

Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance, as in the vast majority of cases, Illness Benefit is a short-term payment for those who are certified by their GP as needing to take time out from their employment due to illness. This means there is a constant daily churn in terms of Illness Benefit recipients as people take time off/return to work. In addition, in many cases Illness Benefit is paid directly to the employer where sick pay is paid. Most recipients of Illness Benefit still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to work.

Long-term Illness Benefit recipients who are permanently incapable of work may be eligible for Invalidity Pension (subject to satisfying the relevant medical criteria and social insurance contributions). Those who are substantially restricted in undertaking suitable employment arising from a medical condition may be eligible for the means-tested Disability Allowance (subject to the relevant medical criteria). Recipients of both of these payments are eligible for Fuel Allowance, subject to fulfilling all other qualifying criteria.

Any further widening of the qualifying criteria for accessing the Fuel Allowance scheme can only be considered while taking account of the overall policy and budgetary situation.

My Department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have essential expenses, which they cannot meet from their own resources. Additional Needs Payments, where appropriate, can be paid to people who face difficulties in meeting fuel bills. Also under this scheme, a Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income.

Additional Needs Payments are not restricted to the fuel season and can be paid throughout the year.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.