Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Jim Higgins
Question:
63
Mr. Higgins (Mayo)
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will consider extending the free telephone rental allowance to elderly persons in nursing homes, either for a fixed line or for a mobile phone, particularly in cases where such persons previously had free telephone rental while resident in their own dwellings.
[6285/02]
Brian Hayes
Question:
68
Mr. B. Hayes
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
his views in relation to changing the rules concerning the right of pensioners to obtain free telephone rental where a person has moved into a nursing home and is no longer living alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6288/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 68 together.
The free schemes share a common set of objectives in the area of social inclusion, namely to provide assistance to those living alone by targeting them with specific benefits providing both income and social inclusion gains; to support older people and people with disabilities in their wish to remain in the community as opposed to institutional care; and to support Government policy which seeks to acknowledge the value of older people in society.
The original objective of the telephone allowance was to provide an element of protection and security in their own homes for older people and people with disabilities who were either living alone or with people who would be unable to summon help in an emergency. A secondary objective of the scheme was to encourage social contact and to assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.
The free schemes act as an important support to encouraging care in the community. The proposal to extend telephone allowance to pensioners resident in nursing homes does not fit easily within the community care objectives of these schemes. Persons resident in nursing homes may already be in receipt of State support, either through the public health system or through a nursing home subvention. In addition, those living in nursing homes and other residential institutions have daily support and contact with other residents and nursing staff.
The current arrangements for the free schemes are kept under review. Any changes in the arrangements, as the Deputies have proposed, would have to be considered in a budgetary context and in the context of overall Government priorities for the social welfare area.
Question No. 64 answered with Question No. 54.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
65
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will improve the means test criteria for applicants and recipients of disability allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[6632/02]
Since responsibility for the main means-tested payment for people with disabilities, i.e. the disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme, was transferred from the health boards to my Department in October 1996, a range of significant improvements, including improvements in the means-testing arrangements, have been introduced. As a consequence, there has been a substantial increase in the number of recipients of disability allowance – up from 34,500 in October 1996 to 58,061 at the end of January 2002, an increase of 68%.
The main improvements in the means-testing arrangements which have been provided for, and which also apply to the means-tested blind person's pension scheme, include substantial increases in the amount of earnings from rehabilitative employment which may be disregarded for means test purposes. With the further increase announced in last December's budget, the level of this disregard will have almost tripled – up from €44.70 to €120.00. This disregard has also been extended to earnings from rehabilitative self-employment. There is also a major improvement in the method of assessing capital which was introduced in October 2000, with the first €12,697 being disregarded – an increase of €10,158 – and the method of assessing capital above this level improved;
Since April 2001 the full rate disability allowance is paid where the person's partner is in receipt of any other social welfare payment. This improvements has resulted in weekly increases of between € 44.44 and € 58.41 for those affected.
Up to €190,461 from the proceeds of the sale of a person's residence is exempted for disability allowance and blind person's pension purposes, with effect from April 2001. In addition, the back to work scheme has been extended to recipients of disability allowance and blind person's pension. Under this scheme a person is allowed to retain his or her weekly payment on a sliding scale in addition to his or her income from employment or self-employment. While significant improvements have been made in the means-tested payments for people with disabilities in recent years, it is nevertheless recognised that more needs to be done and I will continue to examine the potential for further improvements in this area, having regard to available resources and the Government's other priorities.
