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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 May 1995

Vol. 452 No. 3

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Eamon Walsh

Ceist:

148 Mr. E. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will have arrangements made for a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 to obtain adequate supplementary welfare allowance in view of the fact that he has been assessed as being entitled to £7 per week by his community welfare officer despite the fact that he is a mature adult with basic needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7854/95]

The person in question was released from prison three weeks ago. On release from prison, a person would normally sign on for unemployment assistance; however, in this case, the person claimed a basic supplementary welfare allowance payment at his local health centre.

As the person was living at home with his parents, a "benefit and privilege" assessment, i.e. for board and lodgings, was made by the community welfare officer which resulted in the person receiving a reduced basic payment of £7 for that first week. He also received an exceptional needs payment of £40 for clothing.

Under the provisions of the scheme, health boards must take account of any benefit and privilege accruing to a claimant in assessing his/her entitlement to a payment. In practice, benefit and privilege is taken to mean the value of board and lodgings to applicants residing in the parental home. The purpose of the benefit and privilege assessment is to achieve a degree of equity between applicants in different family circumstances.
The person concerned subsequently applied for unemployment assistance and received a payment of £52.90 on 26 April 1995. The full rate is £58.90; however, in the case of unemployment assistance a standard minimum assessment of £6 applies in respect of free board and lodgings where the client is living with his parents.
As SWA is generally intended as a short term payment, the assessment of benefit and privilege is not as favourable as that which applies for UA purposes. However, in view of changes in the benefit and privilege provisions for UA recipients and in view of the need for clarity in this area, the assessment of benefit and privilege is being reviewed at present.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

149 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Social Welfare the recourse, if any, which is available to a person (details supplied) in Dublin 10 who is a widow in receipt of widow's pension and disability benefit whose 15 months' disability benefit is about to run out under the changed rules devised by his Department and who as a consequence will suffer a drop in income with effect from 8 May 1995 in view of the fact that she cannot transfer to invalidity pension, despite her poor health, as this would mean her foregoing her widow's pension; if he will change these rules in order to avoid a repetition of this sort of case. [7860/95]

Subject to certain exceptions, a person is not entitled to receive more than one social welfare payment simultaneously.

One such exception applies in the case of recipients of widow's pension under which they may receive half rate disability benefit in addition to survivor's pension, for a maximum period of 15 months.
Any changes in these arrangements would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

John Ellis

Ceist:

150 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will review the regulations for children's allowances in order to allow children who have reached 18 years of age and are still in full-time education to get the allowance for the summer period. [7908/95]

Child benefit is paid monthly in respect of all children under 16 years of age, and in respect of 16 and 17 year olds where they are in full-time education or are physically or mentally handicapped.

With effect from September 1995, child benefit will be payable in respect of 18 year olds who are in full-time education or are physically or mentally handicapped. In addition, the rates of payment will be increased from £20 to £27 for each of the first two children and from £25 to £32 for the third and subsequent child. The full year cost of these measures is estimated at £103 million and will benefit some 1,073,000 children. Any proposal for further extensions of child benefit would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

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