Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Seán Haughey
Question:
161
Mr. Haughey
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if disability allowance will be to paid to persons with psychiatric illnesses who are hospitalised for long periods; the position in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10450/99]
The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities has recommended that people with disabilities in residential care should have the same entitlement to an income as a person living in the community. At the moment people receiving disability allowance, including people with mental health and emotional impairments, generally lose entitlement if they go into long-term residential care. Their maintenance costs and an element of pocket money are then met through funding from the health boards.
It is estimated that there are currently in the region of 5,300 people with disabilities in full-time residential care who are not in receipt of any social welfare payment. The full-year cost of pay ing disability allowance to this group would amount to some £25 million.
Since the take-over of the disability allowance scheme from the health boards, a number of measures have been introduced to progressively relax this disqualification. For instance, disability allowance continues to be paid for up to 13 weeks where the recipient goes into hospital. In addition, disability allowance is paid at half-rate in the case of those in part-time residential care. Where a person comes home for an extended holiday period, i.e. three weeks or more, disability allowance is paid for that period.
As part of the recent budget package, I announced another step in the direction of meeting the commission's recommendation. With effect from 1 August 1999, existing recipients of disability allowance, who are currently living at home, will be able to retain their entitlement to the allowance where they go into hospital or residential care. However, this will not apply to people who will already have lost entitlement to disability allowance, having entered residential care before 1 August 1999.
While the improvements in the residency conditions for entitlement to disability allowance which have already been introduced are of benefit to many people with disabilities, it is nevertheless recognised that more needs to be done. In this regard, the potential for further enhancements to the system will continue to be examined in the light of the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities and having regard to available resources.
Deirdre Clune
Question:
162
Ms Clune
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the plans, if any, he has to increase the amount of rent allowance paid by health boards towards the cost of rent in view of the continuing increases in rents charged by landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10527/99]
The supplementary welfare allowance – SWA – scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs.
The purpose of rent supplements is to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible persons living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source.
Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that the person, after the payment of rent has an income equal to the SWA basic weekly payment rate, less £6. This £6 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources.
Each health board is required to set reasonable maximum rent levels for various household types as a basis for calculating the maximum amount of rent supplement payable in each area under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The limits are set using local knowledge as to what constitutes a reasonable rent for private rented accommodation for various household types within and across the health board area.
The limits in all health board areas take into account information received from local auctioneers and letting agents regarding average rents charged in the area.
These maximum rent levels are reviewed regularly by the boards to take account of the actual fluctuations in accommodation costs observed in each area. When accommodation is no longer available within these limits, rent levels are reviewed and revised upwards, at the initiative of the health boards, in the light of their experience in dealing with claims for rent supplement.
Health boards must also satisfy themselves that accommodation is generally available within the limits which they set. In the circumstances, I have no plans to change the arrangements which current apply in this area at this time.
If any tenant is experiencing difficulties, the health boards have discretion to award a supplement based on an amount of rent which exceeds the maximum level set where there are extenuating medical or social circumstances having regard to the applicant's means and all the other requirements of the legislation.
Gay Mitchell
Question:
163
Mr. G. Mitchell
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will extend the free fuel scheme of 1 May 1999 in view of low temperatures being experienced at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10529/99]
The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. A payment of £5 per week – £8 per week in smokeless zones – is paid to eligible households for 26 weeks from mid-October to mid-April, regardless of the temperature. As a consequence, there may be a small number of occasions when the allowance is not paid even though temperatures are unseasonably low and equally, the allowance is paid at times when temperatures are not low.
Extending the fuel season to 1 May 1999 would cost an estimated £6 million and could only be considered in a budgetary context.
There is a facility available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme to assist people in certain circumstances who have special heating needs at any time of the year. This operates in addition to the national fuel scheme. Under the SWA scheme, a person who has exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity may qualify for a heating supplement. This can be paid as a weekly supplement in addition to other social welfare payments. An application for a heating supplement may be made by contacting the community welfare officer at the local health centre.
Where a person would not normally qualify for a heating supplement there is also provision under the SWA scheme to pay an exceptional needs payment (ENP).
The purpose of ENPs is to help prevent hardship by providing for essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which applicants could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the health board taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
