Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2010
1340 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one-parent payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. [33730/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1348 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance in 2009 and 2010; and the total spend on the scheme each year. [33739/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1349 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending eligibility for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to include all those families in receipt of family income supplement. [33740/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1340, 1348 and 1349 together.
The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families, including those in receipt of family income supplement, to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn.
The number of children benefiting from the scheme increased from 161,000 in 2006 to over 277,000 in 2009. The number of families benefiting increased from 79,000 in 2006 to almost 140,000 in 2009. Given the increased income thresholds and the increase in the Live Register, it is estimated that 340,000 children and 170,000 families will benefit from the scheme in 2010.
Expenditure on the scheme has increased since 2006 from €23m to €67.2m in 2009. The financial provision for 2010 is €82.8m.
Statistics are not available on the number of one-parent family payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of the back to school clothing and footwear allowance.
1341 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one parent payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of the fuel allowance. [33731/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1350 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the current cost and numbers in receipt of the fuel allowance. [33743/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1351 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of extending eligibility for the fuel allowance to include all those in receipt of family income supplement and those on short term benefits. [33744/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1341, 1350 and 1351 together.
The fuel allowance is paid for 32 weeks each year from end September to early May. In the 2010/2011 heating season it is estimated that over 340,000 recipients will benefit from the allowance at a cost of over €231million.
Statistics are not available on the number of one-parent family payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of the fuel allowance.
People in receipt of short-term social welfare payments such as jobseekers benefit, jobseekers allowance, illness benefit, supplementary welfare allowance, occupational injuries benefit or maternity benefit are not normally eligible to receive a fuel allowance. However, there is a special arrangement in place to pay the smokeless fuel allowance element (€3.90 per week) to people who live in one of the designated urban smokeless fuel areas and who have been receiving either jobseekers benefit, jobseekers allowance or illness benefit for 13 weeks or more.
There are approximately 28,000 family income supplement (FIS) recipients and 380,000 short term social welfare recipients at present. If all of these were eligible for a fuel allowance payment, the additional annual cost would be in excess of €260 million. It is, however, likely that not all of these recipients would qualify for a fuel allowance as the payment is means tested and only one payment is allowable per household.
1342 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one-parent payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of rent supplement. [33732/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1343 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of one-parent payment recipients on community employment schemes that are in receipt of reduced rent supplement. [33733/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1344 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the size of the average rent supplement payment made to one-parent payment recipients on community employment schemes. [33734/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra1345 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the size of the average rent supplement payment made to one parent payment recipients that are neither on community employment schemes nor in paid employment or any other back to education, training or work scheme. [33735/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1342 to 1345, inclusive, together.
Rent supplement is subject to a means test which is normally calculated to ensure that, after payment of rent, an eligible person has income equal to the rate of basic supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to their family circumstances, less a minimum contribution, currently €24, which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources.
The means assessment for rent supplement provides for a gradual withdrawal of payment as hours of employment or earnings increase. Those availing of part-time employment (less than 30 hours a week), community employment, and/or specified training opportunities can continue to receive rent supplement subject to their satisfying the standard means assessment rules. Where a person has additional income in excess of the standard weekly rate of supplementary welfare allowance, the first €75 of such additional income together with 25% of any additional income above €75 is disregarded for means assessment purposes. This ensures that those returning to work or participating in training schemes are better off as a result of taking up such an opportunity.
The current average rent supplement payment to those whose primary social welfare payment is the one-parent family payment (including those who are also in receipt of wages from community employment, part-time earnings, maintenance etc.) is €143.14 per week. Statistics are not available on the number of one-parent family payment recipients on community employment schemes that are not in receipt of rent supplement or are in receipt of a reduced rate rent supplement payment or the average rent supplement payable for these customers.
