Gerard Murphy
Question:420 Mr. Murphy asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if the carer’s allowance application by a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be dealt with immediately. [19411/04]
View answerTuesday, 29 June 2004
Questions (421, 422)
Written answers
The person concerned has been refused carer's allowance on the grounds that her weekly means derived from her husband's earnings exceed the statutory means limit for receipt of carer's allowance. She has been notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right to appeal to the social welfare appeals office.
Under social welfare legislation decisions on claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard to making such decisions.
Bernard Allen
Question:421 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been refused supplementary welfare allowance towards his rent; and the location at which this person can obtain accommodation for €83 per week based on his family size. [19414/04]
View answerThe Southern Health Board has advised that the person concerned applied for a rent supplement in July 2003. One of the conditions for receipt of rent supplement relates to the maximum amount of rent on which a supplement can be paid. The maximum reasonable rent limit appropriate in the case of a single man is €95. At that time he had an entitlement of €1 per week based on the appropriate maximum rent level and his income.
He recently made inquiries about rent supplement and was informed that he would not qualify as the rent being sought, €150, is significantly in excess of the appropriate reasonable rent limit. The level of rent being sought can be accounted for by the fact that the person concerned is currently the sole occupant of a two-bedroom house.
In the opinion of the board, accommodation is available at the rent level appropriate to his circumstances and the board has further advised that there are no exceptional circumstances involved which would warrant payment of rent supplement as an exceptional measure in this case.