Vol. 443 No. 4
93 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will amend the rules governing supplementary welfare so that persons who are at work, either part-time or on low wages, can qualify for rent supplements and other assistance under the supplementary welfare scheme with the only test being the net income available to the household in question.
Under the legislation governing the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) Scheme, people in full-time employment are excluded, in all but exceptional circumstances, from receipt of an allowance. People in part-time employment may qualify for assistance under the SWA scheme including rent supplements, subject to the normal rules for the scheme. For the purpose of SWA part-time employment is employment of less than 30 hours per week.
The extension of entitlement to rent supplements and other assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to people in full-time employment would have major financial implications for social welfare and assistance with housing costs.
The family income supplement (FIS) scheme is designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families. At the end of April 1994 there were 9,741 families in receipt of a FIS payment compared to 7,187 at the end of April 1993. I will be increasing the qualifying income limits for the scheme by an additional £10 from the end of July 1994 which will ensure that the uptake of this employment support is extended to more families on low incomes.
