Donal Carey
Question:97 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Social Welfare the circumstances in which rent allowance will not be given to qualified applicants; and whether couples renting from a brother or sister are excluded from the subsidy.
Written Answers. - Rent Allowance Eligibility.
Under the provisions of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a rent supplement may be paid to eligible persons whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs. Entitlement to rent supplement is determined by the health board in the light of the circumstances of the case. Arrangements involving immediate relatives are not excluded under present arrangements. Where the property being rented is owned by an immediate relative of the applicant, however, the health board would have to be satisfied that a genuine landlord/tenant relationship exists in the particular case in question.