Vol. 434 No. 5
9 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will confirm that guidelines from his Department require an applicant for rent subsidy to provide letters of proof from a garda or priest to verify that an applicant is genuinely in need of private rented accommodation; the reasons for this requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme a rent supplement may be paid to those who are unable to provide for their accommodation needs from their own resources or who do not have accommodation available to them from another source.
Guidelines in relation to rent and mortgage supplements indicate that a young single person seeking a rent supplement from a health board must demonstrate that he or she has a valid reason for leaving home. Such reason could include moving to seek employment or the existence of serious problems within the family home which make it necessary for the young person to leave home.
Where there are serious domestic problems the guidelines specify that independent verification should be sought by the health board from social workers or others familiar with the family situation. These requirements do not apply to older single people.
In general health boards will consider a supplement where it would be unreasonable to expect the applicant to continue to live at home.
In regard to younger applicants and older applicants, what age limits apply? Would a 21 year old be required to get a letter from a clergyman or a garda to prove that he should not or cannot live at home for some reason? Where precisely does this guideline begin and end? What of the right, the individual freedom, of a person to live where he or she chooses, whether at home or otherwise?
The guidelines do not specify an age limit but the health boards use 25 years as a general rule of thumb. The health boards are receiving increasing numbers of applications for rent supplements from young people leaving home and this appears to be part of a general trend right across the country. It is difficult to assess such applications because of the lack of evidence in regard to reasons for leaving home, etc.
Some time ago the Minister announced in Cork that Circular 14/92 was being withdrawn. Could the Minister explain what an exceptional need is in the context of rent subsidies?
That is a separate question. The circular that led to misunderstandings in regard to exceptional needs payments was withdrawn by us at the beginning of June. The main element of such payments relates to electricity and gas. There will soon be a code of practice.
The Minister said that last May.
It is for the superintendents in the health boards to work that out with the Department. I and the Minister of State, Deputy Burton are anxious to produce a balanced package, which will be available very shortly.
The Minister is talking about exceptional needs relating to electricity and gas, but what is he doing about those relating to rent?
That is dealt with separately.
Where?
There is provision for it in the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.
The Minister is badly misinformed. I wish he had told the health boards.
We have been promised guidelines since early this year. We were told that they would be available within a few weeks. The Minister of State also promised a number of times.
Does the Minister accept it as reasonable that a health board should inquire into the personal life of a 24 year old or a 23 year old and their reasons for leaving home? Does he not regard that as an intrusion into their privacy and their right to live wherever they choose? Will the Minister now issue a guideline urging an abandonment of this use of the 25 year rule of thumb by the health boards? Finally, I am sure many people are aware that part of the reason for the increase in applications for rent subsidies is that in many cases people living at home get no unemployment assistance. Will the Minister now look at the question of ensuring that people who are of the age of majority, from 18 years and upwards, get payments in their own right which are sufficient to live on?
The question of benefit and privilege will have to be considered in a budgetary context. To do away with benefit and privilege would cost about £60 million, but if we could do away with that element it would help offset to some extent the trend that has developed. The supplementary welfare allowance advisory committee is currently considering the rent and mortgage guidelines and new guidelines may be introduced in that area in the near future.
The dirty dozen have not been withdrawn. That has been established now.
Would the Minister agree that part of the reason some young people move out of the family home relates to the regulations regarding qualification for social welfare benefits? The regulations whereby people living at home do not qualify for social welfare benefits are anti-family. This causes great hardship to health boards who have to subsidise rents for those who are forced to move out of home.
That matter relates to the point made by Deputy De Rossa about benefit and privilege. It is a matter that falls to be considered in the context of the budget.
