Vol. 554 No. 5
1640 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will consider offering a widowed person the option of paying a higher rate of social insurance in order that they will qualify for full rate unemployment and sickness benefit. [15317/02]
Widows and widowers pay social insurance contributions in the same manner as other employees or self-employed persons.
The objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual at any time.
An exception to this rule is made in the case of widows, widowers and other lone parents who are sick or unemployed. Where a person who is in receipt of a widow or widower's pension or one parent family payment satisfies the relevant contribution conditions, they may also be entitled to receive disability benefit or unemployment at half rate for a period of up to 15 months, in addition to their pension.
1641 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will amend the income eligibility conditions for rent allowance payments, to take into account child care costs being incurred by applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15367/02]
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 their needs.
In assessing a person's means for the purpose of rent supplement, income either in cash or in kind must be taken into account. Certain sources of income can be disregarded for this purpose but child care costs cannot.
Child care costs arise mainly in the context of people taking up employment. Arrangements are in place to enable people taking up employment to retain a proportion of their rent supplement subject to certain conditions. In the cases of people participating in schemes such as the back to work allowance or revenue job assist, the means test has been eased with the result that the household in question can have a higher income and still qualify for rent supplement. The standard means test has also been eased in recent years to enable people taking up part-time employment to retain the first €50 per week.
There are no plans at present to disregard child care costs in the SWA means test. The SWA scheme is currently being reviewed as part of my Department's series of programme evaluation reviews. The review will examine all aspects of the scheme, including the qualification and calculation criteria relating to rent supplements.
