Vol. 462 No. 1
108 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he has satisfied himself at the way in which his Department assesses claims for unemployment assistance particularly the assessment of board and lodgings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4056/96]
I am satisfied that my Department deals with claims for unemployment assistance properly and in accordance with the legislation. The value of free board and lodging enjoyed by an applicant is one of the items which falls to be taken into account in the assessment of means. The assessment in an individual case is determined by reference to the parental income, that is after deductions for tax, PRSI, union subscriptions, rent or mortgage payments and a parental allowance. This income is allocated equally among the non-earning members of the household and constitutes the assessment applied to any son or daughter who claims unemployment assistance. The maximum assessment that can be applied to any applicant is limited to 17 per cent of net parental income. In the absence of such a limit, many applicants from families on average incomes with a low number of non-earners would not be entitled to any payment.
It is important, in the context of a scheme like unemployment assistance as applied to young people, to strike a balance between using limited resources in the most effective way to address need and the need to provide a reasonable degree of financial independence to young unemployed people living at home. In 1995 I increased the minimum weekly payment of unemployment assistance from £10 to £25 for people who are assessed with the benefit of board and lodgings. I will be examining the possibility of further improvements in this area having regard to budgetary constraints.
