Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 October 2026
390. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the eligibility criteria for the fuel allowance scheme for people aged 66 and over (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [69886/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra394. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Social Protection he will consider permitting people to get fuel allowance if a family member, who is not on a qualifying payment lives with them. [70047/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 390 and 394 together.
The 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 the 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.
For those aged over 66 to satisfy the Household Composition criteria a fuel applicant must live alone or only with:
• a qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren); or
• a person in receipt of a qualifying payment who would be entitled to the Fuel Allowance in their own right; or
• a person who is in receipt of Carer’s Benefit in respect of providing full?time care and attention to the Fuel Allowance applicant or the applicant’s qualified spouse / civil partner / cohabitant or qualified child(ren): or
• a person receiving short?term Jobseeker's Allowance or Basic SWA (if not pending award of a social welfare payment): or
• a person aged 66 or over, subject to a means test, (this person does not need to be in receipt of a qualifying payment); or
• a person who is in receipt of the Working Family Payment and their immediate family: or
• a person renting a room under the prescribed conditions that allow the Fuel Allowance applicant to benefit from the rent-a-room disregard or for whom the Fuel Allowance applicant is receiving payments for under the Accommodation Recognition Scheme.
A change in the qualifying criteria such as including adult children who are in employment and not in receipt of a qualifying social protection payment, would have to be considered in the context of scheme policy and budgetary negotiations. Disregarding a household member who is not reliant on long term social protection payments and who is in employment would change the targeted nature of the scheme.
Fuel Allowance eligibility encompasses 22 qualifying schemes, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the support available to eligible households. In addition to these qualifying schemes, people over 66 do not need to be in receipt of a payment from this Department to qualify for Fuel Allowance, subject to satisfying the means test through the National Fuel Scheme. According to the latest CSO data, there are just over 1.8 million households in Ireland. Of these, 463,910 households are eligible for the Fuel Allowance scheme, representing approximately 26% of all households nationwide.
I understand however that there will always be exceptional cases, and it is for this reason that my department provides Additional Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. Any person who considers that they may have an entitlement to an Additional Needs Payment is encouraged to 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.
