1971. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for fuel allowance by persons aged 66 years and over that were refused in each of the years 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 due, wholly or in part, to the inclusion of the capital value of an approved Retirement Fund (ARFs), Approved Minimum Retirement Funds (AMRFs) or similar pension investment products in the means assessment; the estimated cost of assessing only the annual drawdown or income from such funds for fuel allowance purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55928/26]

Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs.  Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household.  The Fuel Allowance payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full.  Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.

Fuel Allowance is usually made for 28 weeks over the winter season - from late September to early April - at the weekly rate of €38 or, if preferred, by way of two instalments - one in September and one in January.  The Government approved the extension of the 2025/2026 fuel season by four weeks until the week ending 1st May 2026, to help those most vulnerable with their fuel costs.

As part of Budget 2026, I was pleased to secure an increase of €5 to the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance, from €33 to €38, and an extension of the scheme to include recipients of Working Family Payment.

At the end of April 2026, there were 468,830 households in receipt of the Fuel Allowance, of which 338,842 were receiving the payment weekly and 129,988 were receiving the payment by two instalments.

The Fuel Allowance weekly means limits for those over the age of 66 are greater than for those under the age of 66.  The weekly means limits for those over 66 are €534.00 for a single person and €1,068.00 for a couple, whereas, for those under 66, the weekly means limits are €499.30 for a single person and a maximum of €767.70 for a couple.

In addition, those over 66 have a greater disregard for capital in the Fuel Allowance means assessment.  The capital disregard for those over 66 is €50,000.00, whereas for those under 66, it is €20,000.00.  A single person over 66 with no other means can have capital of up to €196,000.00 and still qualify for Fuel Allowance, and a couple over 66 with no other means can have capital of up to €329,999.00 and still qualify for Fuel Allowance.

Fuel Allowance is paid, in conjunction with a wide range of qualifying primary schemes, across a number of IT platforms with differing functionality for recording processing activity.  Consequently, detail on the number of persons aged 66 years and over that were refused Fuel Allowance by year, wholly or in part, due to the inclusion of the capital value of an Approved Retirement Fund (ARFs), Approved Minimum Retirement Funds (AMRFs) or similar pension investment products is not readily available.

Similarly, it is not possible to estimate the cost of assessing only the annual drawdown or income from such funds in the Fuel Allowance means assessment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.