The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the health boards and neither I nor my Department has any function in deciding entitlement in individual cases. Under the terms of the SWA, scheme payment of a weekly or monthly supplement may be made in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs.
SWA is subject to a means test. Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of SWA appropriate to their family circumstances, less £6. This £6 represents the minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own resources. Most recipients pay more than £6 towards their rent because applicants are required to contribute any additional assessable means that they have over and above the appropriate basic SWA rate towards their rent.