The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Under standard SWA rules, rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of SWA appropriate to their family circumstances less a minimum contribution, currently €13, which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. The SWA rate for a couple with no dependants is €275.80 per week. Many recipients pay more than €13 because they are also required, subject to income disregards, to contribute any additional assessable means they have over and above the appropriate basic SWA rate towards their accommodation costs. The Executive has been contacted regarding the persons in question and has advised that rent supplement was refused in this case as their additional assessable means exceeded the amount of their accommodation costs. After paying their rent, their net income is in excess of the rate of SWA appropriate to their family circumstances. It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision to the designated Appeals Officer within the Health Services Executive.