Nuala Fennell
Ceist:67 Mrs. Fennell asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will make a statement on the up-to-date means test applied to all cases in his Department.
Written Answers. - Means Test.
The legislative provisions governing means are contained in the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981, and in regulations. The following are the main areas under which means are assessed:
—cash income;
—the yearly value of property owned but not personally used or enjoyed, such as capital or house property or land not personally used by the applicant;
—the yearly value of property used or enjoyed, such as a farm or business;
—the value of income or property of which the person has deprived him/herself in order to qualify for pension or assistance or payment at a higher rate,
—in the case of unemployment assistance, single woman's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance, the value of free board and lodging enjoyed by the applicant.
While the criteria are broadly similar for all schemes there are nevertheless variations in the manner in which some of the components, principally capital and income from earnings are assessed. For example the rules of means assessment in the case of widows, lone parents and the elderly are generally more favourable than the rules which apply in the case of the unemployed.
This year's Social Welfare Act introduced means test improvements whereby income derived from casual employment as a home help is disregarded. A minimum weekly payment of £5 was also introduced for unemployment assistance claimants whose current entitlement is less than £5 and whose only means is the yearly value of free board and lodging at home. In addition income arising from the Haemophilia HIV Trust Fund is exempted in the assessment of means.
The streamlining of means test arrangements could involve modifying some of the concessionary features of the means test which apply in some schemes. It could also require the easing of the more restrictive features of certain other schemes. The issue, which requires careful consideration, involves significant costs and is currently under review in my Department.