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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 April 2012

Wednesday, 18 April 2012

Questions (543, 544, 545)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

553 Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the matter of persons receiving rent allowance and living in a property owned by their parents and if she has any plans in the future to reform this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18278/12]

View answer

Written answers

The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people 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. Rent supplement is not payable in respect of the family home.

Under the rules governing entitlement to rent supplement, the Department must establish that the applicant is a bona fide tenant. In determining whether the applicant is a bona fide tenant the Department will generally require documentary evidence including:

details of the lease agreement,

proof of ownership of the property,

documentation that the tenancy has been registered with the PRTB, where necessary.

In addition, there a number of other qualifying conditions for the scheme including at the time of the application, the claimant must:

have been residing in private rented accommodation (where at the commencement of the tenancy the person could have reasonably afforded the rent and has experienced a substantial change in his or her circumstances where they are now unable to pay the rent) or accommodation for homeless persons or in an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement,

or

have had an assessment of housing need carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and have been deemed by the relevant local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.

Overall, I am satisfied that the conditions of the scheme are sufficient to ensure that only those who are in need of rent supplement can access the scheme.

Finian McGrath

Question:

554 Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection the supports available to a family (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [18288/12]

View answer

I understand that there is no carers allowance application in this case but that domiciliary care allowance (DCA) has been applied for.

Domiciliary care allowance can be paid in respect of children under 16 years of age who have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time, so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.

An application for DCA was received on 18th May 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the payment. A letter issued on 16th July 2011 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against this decision and this appeal is currently with the Social Welfare Appeals Office for their consideration.

The provision of the relevant tests and therapies is a matter for the HSE.

Billy Timmins

Question:

555 Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding rent allowance in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18293/12]

View answer

In a case where parents have joint custody of a child, the needs of both parents to have adequate accommodation to look after the child are taken into account when an application for a rent supplement is being determined. The father has been granted guardianship by the Court. However, the Court does not indicate that the State must provide additional accommodation when the children are already being housed. The person concerned has no entitlement to a higher limit as his children are already accommodated in the family home with their mother. The client has been informed of his right to appeal this decision.

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