Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 July 2017
437. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will take steps to ensure that persons applying for means-tested social protection payments following family law settlement in respect of the family home are not forced to spend the entire proceeds of their settlement before being awarded rent support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33499/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department operates a range of statutory means tested schemes, taking account of the income a claimant has in terms of cash, property (other than the family home) and capital. The combination of the means test and awarding differentiated rates of payment is premised on ensuring that social welfare payments are paid to those most in need and reflects the position that persons with reasonable amounts of income, capital and property are in a position to use that resource to support themselves.
The rent supplement scheme is supporting some 41,200 tenants for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017. The scheme is generally available to people whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and do not have alternative accommodation available. Rent supplement’s means test is calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to their family circumstances less a minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay. The standard weekly minimum contribution is €30 for a single adult household and €40 for coupled households. Many recipients pay more than this amount because recipients are required, subject to income disregards, to contribute a proportion of assessable means towards their accommodation costs. As part of this means test, a capital assessment is completed which includes savings, investments, property (other than the family home) and would include any monies realised following a settlement.
The Deputy will be aware that the strategic policy direction of the Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose of being a short-term income support with the introduction of the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) scheme, which is available nationally since 1st March 2017.
The Department has no role in financial and other settlements made between couples on separation, divorce or otherwise. Any capital owned by a person involved in such a settlement is assessed in the normal way for the purposes of means tested schemes and the appropriate disregards apply. I have no plans to change these conditions at this time.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
