Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 March 2013
333. Deputy Tom Hayes asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide clarification as to whether mortgage interest supplement is given the same consideration under the supplementary welfare scheme when a claimant is participating in a Tús programme. [15127/13]
View answerMortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 14,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €42 million for in 2013. Mortgage interest supplement is normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of his or her mortgage interest, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) appropriate to their family circumstances, less a minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. The weekly minimum contribution is €30 for single adult households and €35 for coupled households. Many recipients pay more than this amount because recipients are also required, subject to income disregards, to contribute any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic SWA rate towards their accommodation costs.
The mortgage interest assessment provides for a gradual withdrawal of payment as hours of employment or earnings increase. Those availing of part-time employment and/or training opportunities can continue to receive mortgage interest supplement subject to their satisfying the standard means assessment rules. Where a person has additional income in excess of the standard weekly rate of SWA, the first €75 of such additional income together with 25% of any additional income above €75 is disregarded for means assessment purposes.
Mortgage interest supplement claimants participating on a TÚS work placement scheme are treated in the same way as any other person engaged in part-time employment and any additional income arising from participation on the work placement is subject to the additional income disregard.
The means test ensures that those returning to part-time work or participating in training schemes are better off as a result of taking up such opportunities.
