I propose to take Questions Nos. 102, 107, 120 and 131 together.
Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department. A growing number of people have come to rely on rent supplements on a long-term basis over the years. However, people with a long-term housing need require a long-term social housing solution, not a social welfare payment in lieu. The new arrangements announced by the Government in July mean that local authorities will progressively assume responsibility for meeting these long-term housing needs, including those of people dependent on rent supplement for 18 months or longer. The rent supplement scheme will continue to provide short-term income support.
The housing authorities will be able to make better use of funding that is currently channelled through the social welfare system and I consider that the new arrangements provide the best solution for disadvantaged people with ongoing housing needs. The necessary funding is being transferred from the social welfare Vote to the housing authorities from January 2005 to cover both the cost of the new system and the cost of administering it. The new system will be implemented initially in seven local authorities and my Department is assisting in this process. It is intended that the system will be commenced in all local authority areas by the end of 2005 and will be fully operational in all areas by 2008.
The changes introduced in the rent supplement scheme earlier this year will also assist by re-focusing the scheme on its original objective of providing short-term maintenance support rather than long-term housing solutions. The likely impact of the measures was assessed in advance and the manner of their implementation was carefully designed to ensure that the interests of vulnerable groups were protected. There are no circumstances in which women in domestic violence situations have to remain in such situations due to these changes. All applicants for rent supplement who have been assessed by a local authority as being in need of housing, receive rent supplement immediately, regardless of how long they have been renting in the private sector or even if they never rented before. Nobody who needs rent supplement is refused if they have a housing need.
If an applicant for rent supplement has not had their housing need assessed by a local authority, they are not excluded from receiving rent supplement on that account. They will be advised, however, by the community welfare officer to have their needs assessed by the authority first. If the local authority considers that they have a housing need and the authority cannot immediately meet that housing need, then rent supplement is payable.
Furthermore, the health boards have discretion to award rent supplement in any cases where they feel it is appropriate to do so. The instructions issued to health boards on implementing the new arrangements earlier this year state that the new arrangements do not restrict the discretion given to them to award a supplement in any case where it appears to the board that the circumstances of the case so warrant. The principal criteria upon which such a determination might be made include the safety and well-bring of the applicant or a situation where an applicant is being made homeless or forced to use homeless facilities unless rent supplement is paid. Such cases could include people who find themselves caught up in violent domestic situations who have to move accommodation because of fears for their safety or well being.
My Department is actively monitoring the impact of the measures. A working group was established earlier this year under the Sustaining Progress agreement to enable the social partners to assess the impact of the changes to the rent supplement scheme. The working group concluded that the new measures were not having any significant adverse impacts, having regard to the design of the measures.
I am aware that a range of voluntary organisations have been critical of aspects of the changes in the rent supplement scheme. However, more than 31,000 rent supplements have been awarded since the measures came into effect at the end of January this year. I have instructed my Department to conduct a review of the measures and I expect that it will be concluded soon.