Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
554. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Social Protection to consider extending the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance scheme to include people on short-term payment schemes such as jobseekers benefit.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31810/26]
View answerThe criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all relevant qualifying criteria, this ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at 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.
Short-term benefit payments such as Jobseeker's Benefit, Illness benefit and Maternity Benefit are not qualifying payments for Fuel Allowance. The reason for this is that Fuel Allowance is intended as a support for households with a long-term dependence on welfare payments. The schemes just mentioned are short-term payments for those who suffer a short period of interruption to their employment. These payments are not means-tested; the recipients still have an attachment to the labour force and there is an expectation that they will return to the workforce.
The provision of any additional supports such as extending the Fuel Allowance payment to this cohort would have cost implications and could only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
While the criteria for Fuel Allowance is designed to ensure that those who require the support the most receive it, there will always be exceptional cases. It is for this reason that my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or other personal and household resources. These payments are available through our Community Welfare Officers.
