Vol. 534 No. 3
226 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the reason rent allowance payments to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin ceased 12 months ago; if arrears are due to this person arising from the action of his Department; if he can give assurances that this person will in future receive rent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10439/01]
The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his or her needs. The scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and neither I nor my Department has any function in deciding whether SWA is payable in individual cases.
The purpose of rent supplements is to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible persons living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. The person concerned had been in receipt a rent supplement of £40.50 per week up to October 1999. The individual then moved to new accommodation and applied for a rent supplement. The application was refused by the community welfare officer as the rent of £100 per week was in excess of the Eastern Health Board limit which at the time was £60 per week for a single person.
The purpose of these limits is to ensure the property being rented is not excessively expensive having regard to the person's reasonable needs. A health board will not assist a person with rent supplement where payment of the supplement would lead to the person being left with income below the SWA rate appropriate to his or her circumstances. A letter issued from the health board in October 1999 to the person concerned explaining why the application had been refused and advising the applicant to secure more reasonably priced appropriate accommodation which would allow the CWO to assist with the rental cost by way of a rent supplement.
The person concerned has not contacted the health board again regarding an application for a rent supplement since this letter issued.
227 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if a social security payment from outside the State can be disregarded in relation to the new regulations coming into force as regards carer's allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10440/01]
The purpose of the carer's allowance is to provide a means tested income support payment to those who are caring full time and who are on low incomes.
