Many in energy poverty face increased bills due to stay at home restrictions says TD
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith today called on Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys to double the current fuel allowance from €28 a week, to €56, to help many OAPs and others in energy poverty during the Covid lockdown.
The TD said her clinic has been inundated with calls from a very vulnerable cohort of people who because of their age and medical conditions are advise to stay at home and whose usual social interactions are stopped because of the lockdown. The TD explained “This means they are at home 24 hours a day and need to use their heating constantly especially in recent cold snaps.
“There is a real need for us to increase the amount of fuel allowance. The current rate of €28 a week simply isn’t covering the extra costs many of these old or vulnerable people face.”
Over 360,000 households get the payment for 28 weeks over the winter months.
The TD said: “If we want to protect those most at risk we need to ensure we are giving a realistic allowance that can cover heating costs in this crisis, and €28 a week is unfortunately no were near that.”