Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
523. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, qualifying income criteria in order that families in receipt of the working family payment automatically qualify for the SUSI grant and maintenance payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6636/22]
View answerIt is important to say that the Student Grant Scheme does take account of the circumstances of people in receipt of the Working Family Payment. First of all, it is treated as an income disregard. This means that it is not included in the income considered for the student grant. Furthermore, unlike other social protection payments which are paid to individuals, the Working Family Payment is a payment deemed to be paid to a family. In recognition of this, the Student Grant Scheme contains provisions which allow this payment to be recognised for the purposes of meeting the eligibility criteria for the special rate of grant, which is the highest maintenance grant support available. This ensures that those students most in need receive supports which are commensurate with their needs. As in any statutory scheme, a core principle of the scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for all applicants as part of the means assessment process. All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants. Creating a difference of treatment in respect of different cohorts of student within the scheme by allowing them to automatically qualify for a student grant would be a significant risk to a statutory scheme which relies heavily on consistency and equity for all applicants. More widely, as the Deputy will be aware, as part of this year’s Budget I made the first substantial changes to the rates and thresholds for the Student Grant Scheme in a decade. The draft report of the review of the Student Grant Scheme was submitted to me in late December 2021. This will be critical in informing decision-making in future Estimates processes about changes to the rates and thresholds, as well as informing policy priorities and future considerations regarding the development of student grant policy.
