Marian Harkin
Question:130 Ms Harkin asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to review the means test on the carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5043/03]
Written Answers - Social Welfare Benefits.
The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full-time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit.
There are currently over 20,500 carers in receipt of carer's allowance which means that almost 40% of the 52,000 carers, as estimated by the CSO to be caring for more than three hours per day, are in receipt of carer's allowance. Expenditure on carer's allowance in 2002 was estimated at €160 million.
As with all other social assistance schemes, a means test in which the income of both the applicant and his-her partner is assessable is applied to the carer's allowance to ensure that limited resources are directed to those in greatest need.
Provision has been made in successive budgets for substantial increases in the income disregards. From April 2003 the weekly income disregards will increase to €210 for a single carer and to €420 for a couple. The effect of this increase will ensure that a couple with two children, earning a joint income of up to €24,150 can qualify for the maximum rate of carer's allowance while the same couple, if they had an income of €39,750, could still qualify for the minimum carer's allowance, plus the free schemes and the respite care grant. It is estimated that this increase in the income disregards will result in 1,700 additional carers qualifying for carer's allowance. The carer's allowance means test is one of the more flexible tests in terms of the assessment of household incomes.
It is estimated that abolition of the means test could cost in the region of €150 million per annum. In view of the many supports required by carers, particularly in community care and respite care areas, it is not considered that abolition of the means test is the best way to support carers or the best use of resources.
With regard to the future strategy on caring, the health strategy, which was published by the Department of Health and Children at the end of 2001, commits the Government to reforming the current arrangements, including the carer's allowance, in order to introduce an integrated care subvention scheme which maximises support for home care. The strategy also contains a number of other proposals including the introduction of a respite care grant to cover two weeks respite care per annum for dependent older people. A number of Departments are involved in progressing these and other initiatives for carers and those for whom they care.
Further improvements to the carer's allowance scheme could only be considered in a budgetary context in the light of available resources. However, the development of the range of supports for carers will continue to be a priority for this Government, in line with An Agreed Programme for Government, and, building on the foundations now in place, we will continue to develop the types of services which recognise the value of the caring ethos and which provide real support and practical assistance to people who devote their time to improving the quality of life for others.
Mary Upton
Question:131 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to increase the amount of weekly earnings not taken into account in assessing means for disability allowance claimants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5057/03]
Disability allowance is a means-tested payment and any income and the value of any capital or property which the claimant has is normally assessed. However, as part of the range of social welfare supports available to encourage and assist people on disability payments to identify and take up employment, training and other self-development opportunities, where appropriate, there is an income disregard under the disability allowance scheme for those who engage in rehabilitative employment.
Since the take over of the disability allowance scheme from the health boards in October 1996, the level of this income disregard has been increased substantially, up from about €45 to €120 – an increase of 168%. In addition, the income disregard has been extended to those in rehabilitative self-employment.
Despite these improvements, it is recognised that for some people with disabilities the operation of income disregards, such as that applying in the case of the disability allowance scheme, can act as a barrier to increasing employment and earnings potential.
The effectiveness of the range of social welfare employment supports available for people with disabilities and long-term illness is one of the key elements of a review of the various income maintenance payments for people who are ill and people with disabilities, which is currently being undertaken by my Department. It is expected that this review will be completed in the coming months and its findings will inform the future development of the employment supports being provided.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:132 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the total amount of rent allowance paid in 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5078/03]
Eamon Gilmore
Question:133 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the total number of tenants to whom rent allowance was being paid in January 2002; the total being paid in January 2003; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5079/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible persons who are unable to provide for such costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.
Expenditure on rent supplements under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was €252.3 million in 2002. This represented an increase of approximately 40% on the previous year. At 4 January 2002 there were 45,028 households in receipt of a rent supplement while the figure at 3 January 2003 was 54,213 households.
On Friday, 14 February 2003, there were 55,011 rent supplements in payment.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:134 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the total number of tenants whose rent allowance has been reduced as a result of Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2002; the total number of tenants who have been refused rent allowance as a result of Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5080/03]
Eamon Gilmore
Question:135 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she has received reports or observations from the community welfare service, concerning the operation of Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2002; if a person whose rent exceeds the maximum amount of rent allowance for the particular area will not now be paid rent allowance at all; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5081/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
There are some 55,500 households in receipt of rent supplements at present. The day to day administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is a matter for the health boards. Figures are not available as to the number of cases where a reduction in the amount of supplement occurred or where an applicant failed to meet the qualification criteria.
In general, rent supplement is not payable under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in cases where the rent incurred is over the maximum allowed by the health board. The requirement for individuals to find accommodation appropriate to their circumstances within the rent limits set by the health board is a standard requirement which has not been changed.
The level of rent a person may incur and the amount of supplement payable under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme towards that rent have always been subject to limits. The maximum level of rent, which a person may incur is determined by each health board in respect of its functional area and is set by reference to local property considerations.
Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2002 provided for the continuation until 31 December 2003 of the current levels of maximum rent, as determined by the health boards, in respect of which rent supplement is paid. Data provided by the Central Statistics Office show that rent levels have been stable for some time and in some cases have actually fallen.
These regulations do not rescind the discretion allowed to health boards to deal with exceptional cases. If an individual is unable to secure accommodation at or below the applicable maximum rent level it is open to the health board to provide a payment above the maximum level as an exceptional measure for a limited period. This measure is designed to provide the person concerned with an opportunity to secure alternative accommodation at the applicable rent level.
Six cases have been notified to my Department where rent supplements were put into payment in what are deemed to have been exceptional cir cumstances. The regulations have been discussed with health board officials and their continued operation will be subject to on going review.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:136 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the position in regard to mortgage relief in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5115/03]
The Deputy raised this case with me in the Adjournment Debate on 11 December 2002.
The person in question sought assistance, in the form of an exceptional needs payment, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in respect of mortgage arrears.
As the Deputy is aware the scheme is administered in his area by the South-Western Area Health Board. The Deputy had been in correspondence with the superintendent community welfare officer on behalf of the person concerned and was advised of the board's arrangements for providing assistance in cases such as the one in question where people find themselves in debt due to outstanding mortgage arrears. These arrangements involve the applicant contacting my Department's money advice and budgeting service. Several attempts were made by the board to have the person in question arrange a meeting with the service but she did not do so.
Following the Adjournment Debate, I arranged for an official of my Department to contact her outlining the steps involved in making an application for assistance in order to bring this matter to a satisfactory solution. In this regard a letter issued to her on 10 January 2003.
In reply to this letter she has stated that she is going to pay the debt in small instalments, that she does not need to avail of the money advice and budgeting service and does not require assistance from my Department on this matter.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:137 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the amount paid in rent allowance and mortgage assistance in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5117/03]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:138 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the restrictions which have been imposed in respect of rent allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5118/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards, provides for the payment of rent or mortgage interest supplements to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible persons who are unable to provide for such costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source.
Details of expenditure on rent and mortgage interest supplements in each of the last three years are set out in the following tabular statement.
In general, rent supplement is not payable under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme in cases where the rent incurred is over the maximum allowed by the health board.
The requirement for individuals to find accommodation appropriate to their circumstances within the rent limits set by the health board is a standard requirement which has not been changed. The level of rent a person may incur and the amount of supplement payable towards that rent have always been subject to limits.
The maximum level of rent, which a person may incur is determined by each health board in respect of its functional area and is set by reference to local property rental values.
Statutory Instrument No. 527 of 2002 provided for the continuation until 31 December 2003 of the current levels of maximum rent, as determined by the health boards, in respect of which rent supplement is paid. Data provided by the Central Statistics Office show that rent levels have been stable for some time and in some cases have actually fallen.
The new regulations do not rescind the discretion allowed to health boards to deal with exceptional cases. If an individual is unable to secure accommodation at or below the applicable maximum rent level it is open to the health board to provide a payment above the maximum level as an exceptional measure for a limited period. This measure is designed to provide the person concerned with an opportunity to secure alternative accommodation at the applicable rent level.
Expenditure on rent and mortgage interest supplements under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
|
Year |
Rent |
MortgageInterest |
|
€ |
€ |
|
|
2000 |
150.7 million |
5.88 million |
|
2001 |
179.4 million |
6.34 million |
|
2002 |
252.3 million |
7.66 million |