Written Answers Nos. 484-503
484. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if, further to commitments made at a meeting of the high level forum for the community and voluntary sector in April 2017, she has communicated to the Workplace Relations Commission the position regarding attendance at the WRC; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13794/20]
View answerThe matter of Community Employment (CE) Supervisor pension claim following the 2008 Labour Court Recommendation 19293 was the subject of an extensive discussion at the Community Sector High-level Forum, chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER). Its role was to examine certain issues pertaining to the Community Employment sector and in particular the subject of pensions, having regard to both the costs and precedent in the context of the wider community and voluntary sector. The High-level Forum included representatives from public service management and union officials.
A detailed scoping exercise was undertaken in 2017 with input from the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) on the potential costs of providing Exchequer support for the establishment of such a pension scheme for employees across the Community and Voluntary sector in Ireland. The potential cost to the State was estimated at between €188 million and €347 million per annum depending on the numbers involved. This excludes any provision for immediate ex-gratia lump sum payment of pension as sought, which could entail a further cost of €318 million to the Exchequer.
It should be noted that CE sponsoring authorities are the legal employers of their CE supervisors, CE assistant supervisors and CE participants, the Department’s role continues to be that of CE funder. The Department was not a party to the Labour Court hearing in 2008 which was between ‘various community employment schemes’ - funded by Fás and the ‘Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union & Services Industrial Professional Technical Union’. The Labour Court recommended that Fás, as the recognised funding agency should fund the pension provision. The Department has therefore no basis or requirement to inform the WRC further on the matter.
485. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason for long delays in assessing applications for carer’s allowance; the reason a person (details supplied) has been waiting over 13 weeks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13797/20]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant, property, (except their own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide them with an income, for example occupational pensions, or pensions or benefits from another country.
There are no delays in the processing of new carer's allowance applications with the average processing time currently at 5 weeks. Reviews can take longer, particularly at this time, where we have seen a substantial number of requests for review of entitlements received since March, due to the carer and/or spouse losing their employment throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
The person concerned is in receipt of CA since 5 October 2017. As a result of weekly means assessed this was awarded at a lower rate of pay.
On 21 March 2020 the person concerned contacted the Department to request a reassessment of her CA as her spouse’s employment was terminating on 22 March 2020 due to Covid-19.
The outcome of the reassessment is that the person concerned has been awarded the maximum rate of CA from 19 March 2020. Arrears of allowance from 19 March 2020 to 2 July 2020 will issue to her nominated bank account on 2 July 2020.
The person concerned was notified on 26 June 2020 of this outcome and of her right of review and appeal.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
486. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 407 of 28 February 2017, if progress has been made on the review of eligibility for the insolvency payments scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13829/20]
View answerThe purpose of the insolvency payments scheme is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. The scheme operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act 1984, which derives from EU Directive 2008/94. Payments are made from the Social Insurance Fund.
The Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act 1984 provides for a scheme to employees of companies that are in a formal wind-up procedure such as liquidation or receivership, or situations where the employer has died and the estate is insolvent, or an employer has been declared bankrupt.
The legislation does not provide for situations where an employer ceases to trade without engaging in any formal wind-up process. In such cases, referred to as ‘informal insolvency’, former employees may have monies owed to them without having a legal mechanism to claim same from the Social Insurance Fund.
In December 2018, the Supreme Court found that Ireland must provide a mechanism through which a competent authority can determine that a state of insolvency arises, without requiring a formal wind-up process, and that monies due to the employee can be claimed by them from the Social Insurance Fund.
The judgment and its ramifications are complex. Consideration must be given to:-
- how the definition of insolvency for the purposes of the Protection of Employees (Employers' Insolvency) Act 1984 can be extended to include situations of informal insolvency and what are the implications and consequences for company law. To date the two statutory regimes - employers' insolvency on one hand and company law on the other - have been aligned.
- The determination of insolvency and by whom this determination will be made in the absence of a formal wind-up process. This will be essential in situations of informal insolvency.
- Safeguarding the Social Insurance Fund from potential abuse.
Officials in my Department are working with the Office of the Attorney General and external counsel in addressing the issues involved. Consultation with other relevant Government Departments and Offices is also underway.
487. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason those certified as medically vulnerable have been expected to survive on standard illness benefit in view of the substantial risk to their health and potential cost to the Exchequer in the event of contracting Covid-19 instead of receiving the enhanced illness benefit or other payment at the same rate as the pandemic unemployment payment; the reason this was not made available to them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13833/20]
View answerUnder the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), and subsequent regulations, the Government, having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of COVID-19, made exceptional provision in the public interest and to mitigate the effect of the spread of the disease to amend and extend the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of infection with COVID-19.
The rate of payment of the enhanced Illness Benefit payment in respect of COVID-19 is higher than the normal maximum personal rate for a limited period. The measures were designed to ensure that where a registered medical practitioner or a HSE medical officer diagnoses a person with COVID-19 or identifies him or her as a probable source of infection of COVID-19, that the person can comply with medical advice to isolate, while having their income protected. This is essential to limit and slow down the spread of the virus, to keep the number of people affected to a minimum, and to reduce a peak of cases which would cause extreme pressure on the health system.
The enhanced rate of Illness Benefit was brought in as a short-term public health measure and is not a long-term income support payment. It is payable for 2 weeks where a person is isolating as a probable source of infection of COVID-19 and up to 10 weeks where a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19. It is due to end on 10 August 2020.
People who are considered high risk under the HSE guidelines in relation to COVID-19 are not entitled to the enhanced Illness Benefit payment for any period unless they have been diagnosed with or informed that they are a probable source of infection of COVID-19. Standard Illness Benefit payment may be payable subject to normal certification and eligibility criteria, where a medical practitioner provides a certificate of incapacity stating that a person is incapable of work due to the medical condition. Standard illness benefit is paid at a maximum weekly personal rate of €203. Increases may also be paid for qualifying adults and children. This may be paid for an extended period, depending on the person’s continued eligibility. Standard illness benefit is the primary income support payment in this State for people who are unable to attend work due to illness of any type apart from the short-term payment in respect of COVID-19.
Employees who cocoon without a medical certificate may approach their employer in relation to taking annual or other paid leave - this is at the discretion of the employer. Many employers can, and do, agree leave arrangements with staff who need to take short periods of time off. These include arrangements to enable employees to work remotely from home, to work-up time taken, or to bring forward annual leave entitlements from future work periods. The government has encouraged employers to support workers with leave requests at this difficult time and those with underlying health conditions should be facilitated where possible.
The Return to Work Safely Protocol provides that if an at-risk or vulnerable worker cannot work from home and must be in the workplace, employers must make sure that they are preferentially supported to maintain a physical distance of 2 metres. However, employers should enable vulnerable workers to work from home where possible.
In general, if people have additional expenses related to their illness or they are struggling financially, they can apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance which is a means-tested payment.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
488. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the contracts for new community employment supervisors will be of the same duration as existing contracts; and if she will address the situation regarding job security for these supervisors. [13869/20]
View answer489. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the contracts for currently employed community employment supervisors will be protected and renewed; and if she will address the situation regarding job security for these supervisors. [13870/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 488 and 489 together.
The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring authorities that operate in the community and voluntary sector. The annual contract agreement between my Department and the CE sponsoring authorities establishes their role as an independent contractor, responsible for all purposes and all persons recruited by them.
My Department provides funding towards training and material costs in addition to CE participant and CE supervisor wages on a per capita basis. CE sponsoring authorities receive this funding in line with their annual contract with my Department.
CE supervisors are employed by CE sponsoring authorities, they are not employees of the Department. As the employer, CE sponsoring authorities provide fixed-term contracts to both new and existing CE supervisors in line with their annual contractual agreement with the Department.
490. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding bank payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13875/20]
View answerThe Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection provides two main options for payment methods for its customers: payments in cash at post offices or payments direct to customer accounts in financial institutions. The Department intends, where possible, to continue to offer its many clients the choice of being paid in cash at the post office or directly into an account in a financial institution.
Certain jobseeker payment criteria are relaxed for persons aged 62 years and over. For example, they are not required to engage with the compulsory activation process, may be placed on yearly signing arrangements and are given the option of being paid directly into their bank account. This has been the Department’s policy for a number of years.
Accordingly, those in receipt of a Jobseeker’s payment who are fully unemployed are contacted when they reach the age of 62 and offered the option of being paid directly into their bank account or continuing to be paid at the post office.
491. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if an applicant will automatically receive the greater of the two pensions in circumstances in which they received the details of their entitlements to both a non-contributory and contributory pension; and if they must specify which pension they will to avail of (details supplied). [13883/20]
View answerState pension (contributory) is a social insurance payment made to people at pension age, who satisfy certain social insurance contribution conditions. Pension entitlement is assessed on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an individual reaches pension age. Factors such as an individual’s social insurance record, their attachment to the workforce, and their countries of employment affect the rate of pension entitlement.
State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested, residency-based payment for people of pension age. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the applicant (and spouse/civil partner/cohabitant). Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as property owned (other than the family home) and capital such as savings, shares and other investments.
If a person applies for both of these pensions, their eligibility and rate of pension entitlement is determined based on the qualifying conditions of the respective schemes. Where an applicant qualifies for both pensions, they are paid whichever pension is more financially beneficial to them, since both schemes cannot be paid concurrently.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
492. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the school meals scheme during July and August 2020 to assist families on low incomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13884/20]
View answer493. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to extend the operation and funding for the school meals scheme during July and August 2020 to assist families on low incomes; her plans to extend the remit of the school meals scheme to include youth and community services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13885/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 493 together.
The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement and coincides with the school year.
Funding under the school meals programme will remain available to schools to allow them to continue to provide food during the summer period until the start of the new academic year 2020/2021.
In recent years entry to the School Meals Scheme has been confined to DEIS schools in addition to schools identified as having levels of concentrated disadvantage that would benefit from access to the School Meals Programme.
Prior to the introduction of DEIS in 2005, all schools and organisations that were part of one of a number of Department of Education and Skills’ initiatives for disadvantaged schools were eligible to participate in the programme, which included Breaking the Cycle, Giving Children an Even Break, the Disadvantaged Area Scheme, Home School Community Liaison and the School Completion Programme. These schools and organisations have continued to remain in the scheme.
Any decision to extend the current provision would need to be considered in a budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
494. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13890/20]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 February 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 3 March 2020. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 24 March 2020.
The Appeals Officer requested additional documentation from the person concerned on 26 May 2020. This documentation has not yet been received, but when the documentation is received, the Appeals Officer will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required and possible in the context of the Covid-19 restrictions, hold an oral appeal hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
495. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if it is legal for a company (details supplied) and employers to have control of workers' tips. [13896/20]
View answerThe management and distribution of tips is a matter of contract between an employer and an employee. There are currently no provisions in employment law or within any other statutory framework that oblige employers to deal with tips in a particular way. It is a matter for employers and employees to agree such terms.
In the event of a breach of contract, it is open to either party to refer the matter to the courts for determination. If the matter is a collective dispute, it may potentially be referred to the Workplace Relations Commission under the Industrial Relations Acts.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
496. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a decision has been made on a disability allowance appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13898/20]
View answerThe Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 March 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 7 April 2020. The case was referred on 22 April 2020 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required and possible in the context of the Covid-19 restrictions, hold an oral appeal hearing.
The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
497. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of an application for a domiciliary care allowance by a person (details supplied): and when they can expect a decision on the case. [13899/20]
View answerAn application for Domiciliary Care Allowance was received from the person concerned on the 5th December 2019. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 24th February 2020 setting out the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance.
An appeal of the decision was registered by the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 4th April 2020. As part of the appeals process, the application was re-examined by a deciding officer and the person concerned was notified on the 19th May 2020 that the review was unsuccessful. An appeal submission was prepared and forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the 16th June 2020. The Social Welfare Appeals Office will contact the person directly about the outcome of the appeal when it is dealt with.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
498. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the appeal lodged by a person (details supplied) in regard to a carer’s allowance has commenced; when a decision will be made; if it has not yet been examined, when a result on the appeal can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13906/20]
View answerCarer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.
Once claims are in payment, the Department periodically reviews them to ensure that there is continued entitlement. Depending on the circumstances in each case and to make best use of resources, a review may only concentrate on a specific condition of entitlement.
One of the qualifying conditions is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit.
Following an investigation it was determined that the means of the person concerned were greater than the statutory limit and that she was therefore no longer entitled to CA.
The person concerned was notified on 16 March 2020 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal.
The department was notified on 29 April 2020 that the person concerned had appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). A submission in support of the decision is being prepared.
Correspondence issued to the person concerned on 2 June 2020 requesting payslips. Once the information is received the decision will be reviewed. The submission is currently being prepared and will be forwarded along with the file to the SWAO for determination.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
499. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 1113 of 3 June 2020, when her officials made contact with the sponsors of the scheme; the dates and outcomes of such meetings; if the HSE was involved in the meetings; if a satisfactory outcome has been reached; if the funding is now being provided for the assistant supervisor position which was originally established in 2002; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13909/20]
View answerContacts between the project sponsors and this Department have been on-going since October 2019. There was also a meeting in February 2020 between an official of my department and their counterpart in the HSE to discuss the matter.
Due to Covid 19 restrictions the opportunity to meet with the scheme sponsors was not possible. However, following the easing of Covid 19 restrictions, a meeting was arranged discuss the issues in detail.
This meeting was held on Friday 3rd July 2020, and in attendance was an official of my department and the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the board of the Clogh/ Muckalee Community Employment Scheme.
It was agreed that the Clogh/ Muckalee Community Employment Scheme, would request approval for an additional five Community Employment positions from the department which would bring their participant number to 26.
It was further agreed that they would furnish to my department a completed application for same, together with the required union approval, in compliance with the requirement under Community Employment Procedures that specifies:
Where a project maintains an approval level of 26 or more participants, additional supervisory grant support may be allocated for an Assistant Supervisor to enable the sponsor provide assistance with additional supervision. DEASP will only consider such grant support when the Sponsor submits, with the project application, a detailed job description for the additional supervision tasks and the intended salary levels.
Once these vacancies have been filled by the project sponsor, and application may then be submitted by the company to request the approval of the appointment of an assistant supervisor, which will be given favourable consideration by my department.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
500. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if financial aid will be provided to private homes affected by flash flooding recently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13911/20]
View answerThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of flooding events.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department can make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.
Any person whose home was affected by recent flooding events, and who is in financial difficulty as a result, should contact their local Community Welfare Service to discuss their situation
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
501. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the situation in respect of a person who was living with their partner for over seven years and the partner has died; if the surviving partner who lived with that person is entitled to pension entitlements in respect of their deceased partner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13941/20]
View answerFurther to clarification received by the Deputy’s office, I understand this question relates to the general policy for the Widow’s, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s pension.
This pension is a weekly pension paid to the husband, wife or surviving civil partner of a deceased person and is available to those who satisfy the necessary PRSI contribution conditions, either on their own record or on that of the deceased spouse or civil partner, subject to eligibility criteria.
The legal context governing relationships such as marriage is the responsibility of the Department of Justice and Equality. Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a legal act, which confers both rights and obligations on both parties that do not exist in law between cohabiting couples. Widows, widowers and surviving civil partners, on becoming bereaved, therefore, lose someone who had legal duties towards them, and the social welfare code may recognise this by providing a pension to them, subject to certain conditions.
It was for these reasons that the social welfare supports for widows and widowers were extended to surviving civil partners from 1 January 2011, when the provisions of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 came into force.
Aside from the wider legal issues regarding the status of marriage and civil partnerships, which is a much broader policy area than its implications under the remit of my Department, extending the current provisions to people who have not undertaken equivalent legal obligations would carry significant costs, and would also raise significant issues about criteria if it were to be based upon cohabitation.
Any possible changes to eligibility for social welfare supports for widows, widowers and surviving civil partners to be awarded in cases in which the surviving partner was not married to the deceased but cohabited for a number of years, would have to be considered in the overall budgetary context.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
502. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way in which a person can arrange an appointment for a public services card in view of Covid-19 restrictions. [13952/20]
View answerThe SAFE Registration Process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC).
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department has temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social distancing. As a result it has not been possible for those who wish to obtain a PSC to get one.
My Department is currently resuming SAFE registration work on a phased basis in Intreo Centres and this will be done in accordance with all relevant Health and Safety and Government guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the Department's customers and staff. I would expect that SAFE registrations will be resumed nationwide over the coming weeks.
In the meantime, anyone who has lost their PSC may contact the Department and a replacement will be issued.
Where the Department has written to a person inviting them to renew their PSC, they may do so by post.
It should also be noted that the National Transport Authority has confirmed that expired Free Travel PSC's will be accepted on public transport for the time being.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
503. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the position regarding the application for a contributory pension and arrears that may have issued or are due in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13977/20]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 13 May 2020. They applied for State pension (contributory) on 5 June 2020. The person has a contribution record of 340 paid full-rate social insurance contributions. As their contributions fall short of the required 520 paid full-rate contributions to qualify for standard State pension (contributory), their claim was disallowed. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 18 June 2020, and provided with a copy of their social insurance record on which the decision was based.
Provisions exist for the award of a mixed insurance pro rata state pension, where a person has periods of PRSI coverage from employment in the public or civil service. The pro rata pension entitlement of the person concerned was assessed as 20.45% of the maximum pension rate, based on their combined social insurance record of 486 full-rate contributions and credits plus 1,890 modified-rate contributions and credits. This is the correct rate of pension commensurate with their contribution history. In the calculation formula for a mixed insurance pro rata state pension, the more full-rate contributions that a person has, the higher the rate of state pension payable. Conversely, the more modified contributions used in the calculation, the lower the rate of pension payable.
The person concerned has been notified in writing of this decision on 26 June 2020. Payment and arrears have issued for collection in the person’s designated post office.
An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested increase which may be payable with the State pension (contributory). It can be awarded to a person whose spouse/civil partner/co-habitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source do not exceed a means test income limit, based on the means held solely or jointly by the qualified adult.
The person concerned applied for the IQA on 5 June 2020 with their pension application. Additional information regarding means was requested on 18 June 2020. When this information is received, a decision can be made regarding eligibility for the IQA payment. They will be notified of the outcome in writing.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
