Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 4 Nov 1998

Vol. 496 No. 1

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Frances Fitzgerald

Ceist:

186 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the policy in relation to granting rental subsidy; the guidelines which apply; the discretion, if any, allowed in this area; the amount per year in the Eastern Health Board area given on rental subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22011/98]

Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure the person, after the payment of rent has an income equal to the supplementary welfare allowance rate less £6.

This £6 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. In addition to the minimum contribution, recipients are required to contribute any assessable means in excess of the appropriate supplementary welfare allowance rate. The SWA rate for an adult is £68.40 per week. Any increase in income over and above that rate will result in a decrease of that amount in the rent supplement rate payable.

Each health board is required to set reasonable maximum rent levels for various household types as a basis for calculating the maximum amount of rent supplement payable in each area under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The limits are set by the health board using local knowledge as to what constitutes a reasonable rent for private rented accommodation for various household types within and across the health board area.
These maximum rent levels are reviewed to take account of the actual fluctuations in accommodation costs observed in each area. Health boards must also satisfy themselves that accommodation is generally available within these limits.
Health boards must be satisfied that the rent payable by the applicant is just and proper having regard to the nature, character and location of the residence and is reasonable having regard to the applicant's residential needs.
Expenditure on rent supplements has increased substantially over the last few years. This was mainly due to increases in rent levels rather than recipient numbers. In July 1996, following the publication of the housing review group report, an interdepartmental committee was established under the aegis of the Department of the Environment and Local Government to examine the implications of transferring the administration of rent and mortgage interest supplements to the local authorities. It comprises of representatives from the Departments of Health and Children, Social, Community and Family Affairs, and Finance as well Environment and Local Government. I understand the committee will report shortly.
The following tabular statement sets out the amount of rent subsidy paid by the Eastern Health Board. Information prior to 1994 is estimated and information for 1998 is only available to July 1998.
Eastern Health Board Expenditure on Rent Supplements

Year

Cost

£m

1993

11.40 (estimated)

1994

25.99

1995

30.89

1996

35.42

1997

38.48

1998

23.70 (to July only)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

187 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the benefit, if any, a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to receive in view of the fact he is unable to work due to an illness but has been refused supplementary welfare allowance from the Western Health Board. [22077/98]

The social welfare system provides contributory payments based on social insurance contributions and means tested payments in cases where people have insufficient contributions.

In the case raised by the Deputy the person concerned has insufficient social insurance contributions to qualify for disability benefit. The only payment for which he is potentially eligible, subject to a means test, is supplementary welfare allowance. SWA provides that every person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his needs, or the needs of his dependants, is entitled to payment under the scheme.
SWA is a short-term payment which is designed to provide immediate assistance for those in need. The earnings of a spouse are assessed in full for SWA purposes. The person concerned does not qualify for SWA as the household income from his wife's earnings exceeds by over £40 the SWA rate of £109.60 appropriate to a couple.

John V. Farrelly

Ceist:

188 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the average unemployment assistance payment to an individual per week. [22094/98]

Unemployment assistance is a weekly payment made to unemployed persons and is paid subject to a means test. Increased rates are paid in respect of qualified adults and child dependants as appropriate.

The average weekly payment to persons in receipt of unemployment assistance is £78 per week.

Some 78 per cent of recipients on unemployment assistance receive less than £100 per week; 83 per cent of the total number on the live register receive less than £100.

John Ellis

Ceist:

189 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his Department will restore a back-to-work allowance to a person (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [22124/98]

The back-to-work allowance is intended to assist unemployed people to return to the active labour force as an employee or a self-employed person. One of the conditions for receipt of the allowance by an unemployed person taking up employment is that the job has the potential to be permanent and is not in the nature of a part-time or temporary job.

Back to work allowance has been previously awarded twice to the person concerned in respect of the same employment, after which he returned to the live register on each occasion. He has now applied for the allowance for the third time in respect of the same job with the same employer. This application has been disallowed on the grounds that the employment is temporary in nature and does not have the potential to develop into a permanent job and there are no grounds for restoring the payment in this case.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

190 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the further information, if any, required to enable payment of unemployment assistance to be made to a person (details supplied) in County Kildare who has received no payment of any kind since 7 September 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22126/98]

The person concerned was in receipt of one parent family payment up to February 1998 when payment was stopped on the grounds that she and another person were cohabiting. She applied for unemployment assistance on 7 September 1998. Following an investigation of her case her claim was disallowed on the grounds that the investigating officer is not satisfied that means have been disclosed in full as required by the Social Welfare Acts.

Notification of the disallowance and of her right to appeal issued to the person concerned on 14 October 1998. An appeal submission was received by the appeals office on 2 November 1998. The appeal will be put before an appeals officer at the earliest possible date. It will be a matter for that officer to decide how the appeal should be determined and what further evidence, if any, may be required.

Barr
Roinn