Tony Gregory
Question:135 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the plans he has to increase the diabetic allowance from the current level of £6.20; and the last time there was any such increase. [12678/01]
Written Answers - Social Welfare Allowances.
Recipients of social welfare or health board payments who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition and whose means are insufficient to meet their needs, may qualify for a diet supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
Entitlement to a diet supplement is determined by the health boards in accordance with the legislative provisions which specify the medical conditions in respect of which a diet supplement may be paid and the means test which must be applied. The amount of supplement payable depends on which of two categories of diet has been prescribed by the applicant's medical adviser, the age of the person and on the income of the individual and his-her dependants.
The present basis for calculating the amount of diet supplement payable in any individual case was put in place in 1996. The various types of prescribed diets are grouped into two categories, one comprising lower cost diets and the other comprising higher cost diets.
Diet supplements are paid subject to a means test and applicants are required to contribute any excess assessable means towards their food costs.
For the purposes of calculating the rate of diet supplement payable, the lower cost diets were deemed to cost £27 per week and the higher cost diets were deemed to cost £35 per week. In the case of single people, the amount payable was calculated on the basis that one-third of their income is spent on food.
Where the applicant is one of a couple, the amount payable was calculated on the basis that one-sixth of the couple's joint income is spent on the diet supplement applicant's food.
In the case of a lower cost diet, the amount of diet supplement payable is £27 less one-third of the applicant's income, one-sixth in the case of a couple. In the case of a higher cost diet, the amount of diet supplement payable is £35 less one-third of the applicant's income, one-sixth in the case of a couple. Increases in weekly social welfare payment rates since 1996 are disregarded for the purposes of this means test as they would have the effect of reducing the rate of diet supplement payable in all cases and would eliminate entitlement altogether in many cases.
In the case of children under the age of 18 there is a standard rate of £8 per week for a higher cost diet and £5 per week for a lower cost diet. In the case of persons with dependent children the child dependants' allowance is not assessed.
The SWA scheme is being reviewed as part of my Department's series of programme evaluations and a fundamental examination of the diet supplement will be undertaken in this context.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:136 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if and when rent allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12682/01]
The supplementary welfare allowance 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 scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and neither I nor my Department have any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases.
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.
The South-Western Area Health Board was contacted and has advised that it has no record of an application for rent supplement from the person concerned. If he wishes to make an application for rent supplement he should contact the community welfare officer at his local health centre.