Written Answers Nos. 130-144
130. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of providing the WALK PEER employment support service model nationally; and her views on the overall use and efficacy of the programme. [35361/21]
View answerThe Ability Programme is a pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. The funding for this programme will amount to around €16 million over a three-year period and is being provided jointly under the EU's ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) Operational Programme 2014-2020 and the Irish Exchequer. The programme will support over 2,600 young people with disabilities between 15 and 29 years of age. Pobal has been contracted by my Department to manage the programme.The aim of the Ability Programme is to help bring young people with disabilities who are not work-ready closer to the labour market through engagement in training and personal development activities, to be followed by an incremental exposure to work. The programme is being delivered by 27 community and voluntary groups from around the country, selected on foot of a competitive process. The projects being funded have been designed to assist young people in their transition from school to further education and employment.
The WALK PEER organisation is funded as a standalone project under the Ability Programme and not as a programme in its own right. The project aims to support 200 young people with special educational needs aged 15-24 years within 3 special school settings to develop their employment aspirations, identify their career goals and to provide them with work experience. Total Ability funding of €640,848 has been awarded to WALK PEER over the course of the 3-year programme.
If the WALK PEER project was to be replicated on the same scale to an additional 25 counties, based on a simple scale up calculation, this would require additional funding in excess of €5m per year.
It should be noted that Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited, which is wholly-owned by WALK Ltd, was also awarded €430,175 under the Ability Programme to fund the WALK REAL Project, bringing the total combined amount of funding to WALK Ltd to €1,071,023 over the course of the Ability Programme.
An on-going evaluation, aimed at evaluating the extent to which the overall Ability Programme has met its stated policy objectives, is being conducted over the duration of the programme. I will await the outcomes of this evaluation before arriving at any conclusions about the overall effectiveness of the programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
131. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications from airline workers for assistance since April 2021; and the percentage of applications that were successful. [35360/21]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available as my Department does not track claims at an industry or sector level. In the time period referred to, any person who lost or partially lost their employment due to Covid-19 or for any other reason would have access to income support by making application for either the pandemic unemployment payment or a jobseeker’s payment.To date expenditure on the pandemic unemployment payment scheme is over €8 billion which demonstrates the Governments clear and ongoing commitment to support workers and businesses who have been severely impacted by Covid-19 and approximately 870,000 have availed of this support. People who have partially lost their employment may apply for support under the jobseeker’s schemes using mywelfare.ie.Any person who loses their employment due to Covid-19 or for another reason may make an application for a jobseeker's payment or for the pandemic unemployment payment. Applications may be made online and a decision will be made on each claim in line with the rules for the payment.New applications for the pandemic unemployment payment may be made up to 7 July 2021 while existing recipients may continue to receive the payment for as long as they continue to satisfy the conditions for the payment. A person who loses their employment after 7 July 2021 may make an application for a jobseeker's payment.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
132. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection if the thresholds for earnings in relation to qualification for the carer’s allowance can be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35090/21]
View answerThe Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports provided by my Department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Over 135,000 carers benefit from regular income supports and spending on these payments in 2021 is expected to be in the region of €1.5 billion. The value of income transfers to family carers has increased by over 50% since 2015.As of May, there were 89,523 recipients of Carer's Allowance. The estimated expenditure for the payment in 2021 is in the region of €953 million. The means test for Carer’s Allowance is one of the most generous in the social protection system. Currently, €332.50 of gross weekly income is disregarded in the calculation of means for a single person; the equivalent for someone who is married, in a civil partnership or cohabiting is €665 of combined gross weekly income.By comparison, the income disregard applied to Disability Allowance is €140 per week. For Jobseeker's Allowance, it is €20 per day up to a maximum of €60, and the balance is assessed at 60%. For Jobseeker's Transitional Payment, the weekly income disregard is €165 with 50% of the balance assessed as means.In the case of a couple, a carer may retain a full-rate payment of €219.00 per week while having an annual income of €37,500 from employment, retain a payment of (just under half rate) €109.00 per week while having an annual income from employment of €49,750, and retain the minimum payment of €4 per week while having an annual income of €61,000.In the case of a single carer, a carer may retain a full-rate payment of €219.00 while having an annual income of just under €19,000, retain a payment of €109.00 per week (just under half rate) while having an annual income of €25,400, or retain the minimum payment of €4 per week while having an annual income of €31,100. Changes to schemes are considered in an overall expenditure and policy context and from an evidence-based perspective. It is important to note that based on the Department's own analysis of the Carer's Allowance, some 92% of the current recipients of Carer’s Allowance have no means or means of less than €7.60 per week and would not benefit by an increase in the disregard. Carers who would benefit from an increased disregard would be in higher income households.Any changes to the Carer's Allowance payment as suggested by the Deputy would have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
133. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the action she will take to account for the ruling from McDonagh versus the Chief Appeals Officer and the Minister for Social Protection. [34754/21]
View answerMy Department has noted the recent Supreme Court judgment in the case referred to by the Deputy which relates to the procedures available to an applicant claiming a social welfare payment and who is dissatisfied with the outcome of a review of a previous decision made. The judgment and its implications are currently being evaluated by my officials. As I am sure the Deputy will appreciate, I am not yet in a position to indicate a possible response or otherwise pending the outcome of this evaluation. However, pending this evaluation, the judgment is being implemented across the Department and the Social Welfare Appeals Office is now accepting appeals against review decisions.
134. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services. [35417/21]
View answer156. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection the steps her Department is taking to combat the scam telephone calls and text messages that are being received in relation to her Department’s services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35091/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 156 together.
The Department of Social Protection is aware of fraudulent phone calls and text messages claiming to be from the Department seeking personal information e.g. PPS number / Bank Account details. Other institutions have been the target of similar fraudulent phone calls and texts e.g. Banks, Attorney General’s Office, An Post.The Department is in regular contact with An Garda Síochána in relation to the scams. Where personal information has been shared by a member of the public and they notify the Department that they have done so, appropriate measures are taken to ensure that fraudulent claims are not made.The Department is continuing to remind people to be alert to possible scam phone calls or scam text messages they may receive from a person claiming to be a Government official. This is done via:-
- The Department’s social media channels and includes a video alert from Minister Humphreys.
- All Government Departments have been alerted to the scam and asked to share our social media messages on their social media channels also.
- A notification about such scams is published on the Department’s website.
- Raising staff awareness by placing a notification about such scams on the Department’s internal staff communications site.
- A warning message on the Department’s main phone number that a caller hears immediately on calling the Department.
- A Press Release specifically on these scams & the inclusion of a paragraph about such scams in the weekly PUP press release.
- A public information campaign to raise awareness of fraudulent calls and texts ran from 8 May to 14 May and from 22 May to 28 May. It featured a 60 second radio ad warning about potential scam calls claiming to be from the Department. It was broadcast on RTE Radio, Newstalk, Today FM, and a wide range of regional radio stations.
A notification is currently being finalised for those who do not have English as their first language to alert them to these scams.
135. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding requirements to apply a detail-orientated approach to ensure the removal of the pandemic unemployment payment recognising the need to balance potential labour shortages across the services sector and the protection of employees lives and livelihoods; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35273/21]
View answer168. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment whose payment is reduced to the €203 on 7 September 2021 or the subsequent two dates will be moved to jobseeker’s allowance rather than stay on the payment at the relevant rate; her views on the way this can be justified given the payment is not a jobseeker’s allowance payment but a payment for those whose incomes or jobs continue to be impacted by public health restrictions, such as taxi drivers, musicians and those in the entertainment industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35264/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 168 together.
Approximately 227,980 people received a payment under the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) this week, representing a drop of 254,000, or almost 53%, since the numbers in receipt of PUP peaked this year at around 482,000 in February. We expect tens of thousands more people to close their PUP over the coming weeks and months because their employments will reopen. As thousands of jobs are resuming each week with the gradual lifting of public health restrictions, the requirement for emergency measures is diminishing.To allow as much time as possible for employment to recover, a transitional approach will be taken as regard payments of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) with payments reduced on a tapered basis over 6 months from next September. PUP will continue to be paid at existing rates until 7th September when the rate will commence a gradual reduction back to the jobseekers rate on a phased basis. Further adjustments are scheduled from 16 November 2021 and from 8 February 2022. As recipients are placed on to the €203 rate, they will be transferred to standard Jobseeker terms commencing from this September. Where a person is due to transition to a jobseeker’s payment from the pandemic unemployment payment the Department will contact them in advance and they will be given an opportunity to claim a standard jobseeker payment and have their claim assessed before they transition from the PUP payment. Transitioning people from the PUP on a gradual basis to standard jobseeker terms will ensure equity with other Social Welfare schemes. My focus over the coming months will be to support people back into employment and I plan to launch the Pathways to Work, 2021-2025 strategy in July 2021. I will also launch the new Work Placement Experience Programme alongside the strategy. In addition, Government is continuing to support employers who have been severely impacted by Covid-19 through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme. I trust this clarifies the position.
136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason Covid-19 support payments for workers are to be cut; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30408/21]
View answer159. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if the pandemic unemployment payment will continue past September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30181/21]
View answer164. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of claimants on the pandemic unemployment payment; the steps she plans taking to ensure that workers in the sectors of the economy that will be slowest to recover from the Covid-19 crisis are protected from a sudden change in the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34173/21]
View answer165. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Social Protection if State supports will be extended beyond 19 July 2021 to persons unable to return to work due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35263/21]
View answer169. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection if a gradual tapering of the pandemic unemployment payment will be put in place to protect income if workers are returning to less hours or less pay from their employer than they had before the pandemic in view of the fact that the reopening of workplaces is very precarious especially with the delta variant and potential future variants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 159, 164, 165 and 169 together.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure to support qualifying employees and the self-employed who lost employment due to the pandemic. To date expenditure on the scheme is over €8 billion, which demonstrates the Governments clear commitment to support workers and businesses who have been severely impacted by Covid-19.
Approximately 227,980 people received a PUP payment this week, representing a drop of 254,000, or almost 53%, since the numbers in receipt of PUP peaked this year at around 482,000 in February. The requirement for emergency measures is diminishing due to more people returning to work as restrictions are gradually lifted and the continuation of the vaccination roll-out. We expect tens of thousands more people to close their PUP over the coming weeks and months because their employment will reopen. To allow as much time as possible for employment to recover, a transitional approach will be taken until February 2022 with PUP whereby the rates of payment will remain unchanged until September when they will commence a gradual reduction over 6 months back to standard jobseekers terms. People currently receiving the €203 rate and those who reach the €203 rate in each phase, will then transition to standard jobseeker terms. This will be done over a period of time commencing from September and with advance notice.Supports will be available under the Jobseeker's Benefit and the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance for those who may be returning to reduced days of employment. Detailed information on these supports are available on the gov.ie website and from Intreo centres. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, the position with regard to the PUP will be kept under review as the public health advice evolves. I trust this clarifies the position at this time.
137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on the role labour activation measures can play in the post-Covid recovery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35296/21]
View answerBoth domestically and internationally there is a significant body of empirical evidence that demonstrates the positive role labour activation measures can play in stimulating economic recovery and in increasing the employment prospects of participants. While many have been displaced from their employment by the pandemic, a significant share of these people have already returned to work, and others will continue to return to their previous employment, as public health restrictions continue to ease. This week there are 228,000 on PUP, representing a reduction of around 50% from the most recent peak in numbers in February last when public health restrictions were at their highest level. However, it is inevitable that some jobs will be permanently lost, and additional numbers of persons will require State support to find new jobs and in transitioning back to work.A central focus of Government’s Economic Recovery Plan, which was launched on June 1st 2021, is on helping people get back to work, through the provision of employment supports, additional training, reskilling and work placement opportunities. Central to achieving this objective will be the Government’s forthcoming national employment services strategy, ‘Pathways to Work 2021-2025’, which is currently being finalised by my Department. By increasing labour market supports, and through the provision of employment supports, activation and skills opportunities, the Pathways to Work strategy will act as a key delivery mechanism of the Economic Recovery Plan’s second pillar ‘Helping People Back into Work’. Under this Strategy, in order to meet the increased demand for activation and labour market support as a result of the of the pandemic, the capacity of the Public Employment Service will be significantly expanded. Additionally, new innovative digital channels of delivery will improve efficiencies and complement existing face to face engagement in employment service delivery in the post-COVID labour market. Among the key activation measures outlined under the Economic Recovery Plan and Pathways to Work is the new paid Work Placement Experience Programme. Individuals out of work for at least six months will be eligible for the scheme, regardless of age and time spent on the PUP and other activation programmes is counted towards eligibility. This programme, which has a target of 10,000 participants by end-2022, will seek to encourage businesses to provide jobseekers with the necessary workplace skills to compete in the labour market and to help break the vicious circle of “no job without experience, no experience without a job”.While this Pathways to Work strategy will include measures to address the challenges arising as a result of the pandemic, the strategy will also focus on those groups unemployed and most distant from the labour market pre-pandemic, such as lone parents, disadvantaged young people, people with disabilities and members of the Traveller and Roma communities.Given the impact of the pandemic on young people, my Department is also supporting targeted supports for young persons, to help them to regain their footing in the labour market. Under Pathways to Work, this will include a new Government Youth Employment Charter for intensive engagement with young jobseekers, building on the EU’s new Reinforced Youth Guarantee and expanding the JobsPlus scheme to 8,000 places, enhancing the incentive to recruit young jobseekers in particular.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
139. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications for rent supplement for 2020 and to date in 2021. [35358/21]
View answerRent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 18,851 active recipients at the end of May 2021.
The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment or income, can continue to meet their rental commitments.
Since the introduction of HAP, rent supplement continues to revert to its original role of providing short-term support to those who have become temporarily unemployed and require income support to meet their tenancy cost whilst they seek alternative employment.
For eleven months ending to November 2020 the number of rent supplement applications awarded was 12,613; the number of applications disallowed was 1,598. The number of applications received in the period December 2020 to date are not currently available.
The following table gives details of the number of Rent Supplement recipients at the end of each month for the period January 2020 to May 2021.
|
Month Ending |
Number of Rent Supplement Recipients |
|
January 2020 |
16,391 |
|
February 2020 |
15,900 |
|
March 2020 |
15,716 |
|
April 2020 |
18,222 |
|
May 2020 |
21,123 |
|
June 2020 |
21,171 |
|
July 2020 |
20,404 |
|
August 2020 |
19,362 |
|
September 2020 |
19,113 |
|
October 2020 |
18,942 |
|
November 2020 |
19,642 |
|
December 2020 |
19,304 |
|
January 2021 |
19,657 |
|
February 2021 |
19,977 |
|
March 2021 |
19,976 |
|
April 2021 |
19,570 |
|
May 2021 |
18,851 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
140. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she has read the recent NESC report on the self-employed. [34171/21]
View answerAs I previously advised the Deputy, I am aware of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) paper on ‘The Position of the Self-Employed’ that was published last November. I note that the paper considers a number of issues concerning self-employed workers, and groups these into the four policy areas of: the social insurance contributions made by self-employed workers; the social protection supports provided to them; the differentiation between employed and self-employed workers; and representation for self-employed workers. With respect to the level of contribution to the social insurance fund by self-employed workers, they are now covered for most of the benefits available under the social insurance scheme which represents approximately 93% of the value of all benefits paid by the social insurance fund - in return for a contribution which is 11 percentage points lower than that made in respect of employed contributors. As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government includes a commitment that consideration will be given to increasing all classes of social insurance over time to replenish the social insurance fund to help pay for measures and changes to be agreed and the NESC paper will help inform deliberations in that regard. The second issue relates to the levels of welfare support provided to self-employed workers. My Department offers a range of income supports to self-employed people, including: jobseeker's benefit (self-employed); the option of applying for a means tested jobseeker’s allowance instead depending on their personal circumstances; the pandemic unemployment payment; facilitating self-employed workers who are in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment and who are seeking to maintain their business, to earn up to €960 over an eight week period while maintaining their full payment entitlement; the enhanced illness benefit payment of €350 per week where they have been medically diagnosed with Covid-19 or have been medically advised to self-isolate or restrict their movements; the back to work enterprise allowance scheme which offers support to people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market - this allowance is payable to self-employed workers for up to a 24-month period from the commencement of their new business, and the once-off enterprise support grant of up to €1,000 to assist with the costs associated with reopening a business following the imposition of Covid-19 related restrictions. In addition, my Department's employment support services are available to self-employed people on a voluntary basis through their local Intreo Centre.With respect to the categorisation of self-employed workers, my Department’s social welfare inspectorate carry out, as part of their duties, employer investigations to ensure compliance with social insurance law and employment status investigations form part of this work. The approach to addressing potential false self-employment includes the setting up of a new team of inspectors in late 2019 to focus entirely on detecting and investigating such practices. Work on revising the 'Code of Practice for Determining Employment or Self-Employment' has been finalised by the interdepartmental working group compromising my Department, the Revenue Commissioners and the Workplace Relations Commission. The revised document is due to be published shortly.Finally, in the area of representation, industrial relations in Ireland rests on a voluntary model. The State’s role is largely restricted to the development of an institutional framework supportive of a voluntary system that is premised upon freedom of contract and freedom of association. Progressing matters of representation come within the remit of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
141. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 428 of 25 May 2021, the timeline for when the report will be made available; her views on whether it will be available in time to inform Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35391/21]
View answer182. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Social Protection if a report (details supplied) which was commissioned in October 2019 and was originally to be submitted to her Department by quarter 1 of 2020 has been submitted; the timeframe for the publication of the report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35354/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 182 together.
My Department has commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability. In line with the commitment contained in the Programme for Government, the Government will use the research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to properly inform the direction of future policy. The report has been received and my Department is considering it in detail. As part of this consideration it is intended to brief and seek the views of relevant Government departments who have a role to play in the delivery of disability services and supports. Once this process is complete I intend to submit the report to Government for consideration. A decision regarding the appropriate date of publication will be made once Government has had an opportunity to consider the report fully. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
142. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid out in supplementary welfare for 2020 and to date in 2021; and the areas of payment per county in tabular form. [35359/21]
View answerThe data requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Total expenditure for Supplementary Welfare Allowance in 2020 was an estimated €115 million, while the estimated expenditure to May 2021 is €38.5 million. The 2020 accounts of my Department are not yet complete and are subject to audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General; accordingly, these figures should be considered provisional. Expenditure by county figures provided here are estimated, based on recipient numbers.
|
County |
2020 Estimate (€ million) |
2021 January - May Estimate (€ million) |
|
Carlow |
€1.8 |
€0.7 |
|
Cavan |
€0.8 |
€0.2 |
|
Clare |
€1.1 |
€0.2 |
|
Cork |
€9.3 |
€3.2 |
|
Donegal |
€2.5 |
€0.7 |
|
Dublin |
€46.0 |
€15.7 |
|
Galway |
€3.1 |
€0.8 |
|
Kerry |
€2.3 |
€0.8 |
|
Kildare |
€4.2 |
€1.4 |
|
Kilkenny |
€2.9 |
€1.0 |
|
Laois |
€1.5 |
€0.4 |
|
Leitrim |
€0.5 |
€0.1 |
|
Limerick |
€3.7 |
€1.4 |
|
Longford |
€0.7 |
€0.3 |
|
Louth |
€4.3 |
€1.6 |
|
Mayo |
€1.9 |
€0.5 |
|
Meath |
€3.7 |
€1.3 |
|
Monaghan |
€1.1 |
€0.4 |
|
Offaly |
€2.0 |
€0.7 |
|
Roscommon |
€1.9 |
€0.6 |
|
Sligo |
€1.5 |
€0.4 |
|
Tipperary |
€4.6 |
€1.7 |
|
Waterford |
€3.2 |
€1.1 |
|
Westmeath |
€1.6 |
€0.5 |
|
Wexford |
€3.1 |
€1.0 |
|
Wicklow |
€5.8 |
€1.8 |
|
Total |
€115.2 |
€38.5 |
143. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the extent to which her Department continues to respond expeditiously to applications for various social welfare payments some of which may be Covid-related and some otherwise; if she will ensure that the response is in line with the urgency of the particular case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35279/21]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement for all payments including those that are Covid- related, are made as quickly as possible. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the different qualification criteria. Means-tested payments can require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision-making process. Delays can occur if a claim is submitted and all the necessary supporting documentation is not included. If information is required from a social security organisation in another jurisdiction, this can also affect processing times.To help my Department to make timely and fair decisions on all applications, applicants should ensure that they complete the application forms fully, providing all the supporting documentation required as per the checklist provided on the application forms. In cases where there is an urgent need for assistance a person may make an application for supplementary welfare allowance while waiting for a decision on their claim for another social welfare payment. I wish to reassure the Deputy that claim processing is kept under active review, with all possible steps taken to improve processing times and customer service. This includes the assignment of additional resources, where available, and the review of business processes, to ensure the efficient processing of applications.
144. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans changing the system in which there is a euro per euro deduction in relation to payments of jobseeker’s allowance for those with self-employment outside of farming and fishing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34174/21]
View answerThe system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency, such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person, and spouse/partner if applicable, applying for the relevant scheme. This reflects the expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or property are in a position to use that income, or to realise the value of the property, to support themselves without having to rely solely on a means-tested welfare payment.In general, earnings from employment are assessed as income across all of the Department's schemes. In the case of jobseekers allowance, a certain amount of income from employment or other sources is not assessed. This is known as an income disregard. Jobseekers allowance is a means tested income support which is available to people who are fully unemployed and to employees who are unemployed for at least 4 in every 7 days. It is also available to self-employed people who satisfy a means test. In the case of self-employed people there is an extensive list of expenses that can be offset against income from self-employment. Any changes to the means test is kept under review in a budgetary context.There are no plans to change the means test along the lines suggested by the Deputy.I trust that this clarifies the position.
