Labour calls for higher thresholds for fuel aid

THE Labour Party yesterday described as “insufficient” the Government commitment to increase electricity entitlements for welfare recipients in response to massive price hikes.

Social affairs spokesman Willie Penrose said that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s announcement that those on welfare would be entitled to a 33% increase of entitlements was not enough.

He argued that it would be meaningless for many low-income families and older people because the income thresholds for qualification were already too low.

He called on the Government to increase the thresholds: “The reality is that a large number of those on low incomes and the elderly will still struggle to meet the costs of heating their homes this winter.

“In particular, hundreds of pensioners continue to miss out on receiving the fuel allowance because of the Government’s refusal to change income thresholds.

“The number of pensioners eligible to receive the fuel allowance has dropped every year since 2003. At the same time, electricity and gas prices have sky-rocketed, with a further round of increases of between 20 and 34% set to take effect over the next few months.”

Fine Gael senator Fergal Browne yesterday separately called for free fuel allowance to be paid by means of a lump sum rather than on a weekly basis.

“The vast majority of local authority houses have central heating that require oil or gas, fuels that must be paid in bulk, yet thousands of fuel allowance recipients are left without the necessary funds to cover the costs,” he said.