Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2023
66. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made on the review of means testing rules of social welfare schemes; whether it is still intended to complete the review and publish it in quarter four this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46369/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra67. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes proposed to the means testing rules of social welfare and employment schemes in Budget 2024; whether it is intended to add to these changes in the Social Welfare Bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46368/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together.
Social welfare legislation provides that, for social assistance schemes, income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her partner, where applicable, is assessable for means assessment purposes. Means test rules in my Department are kept under regular review and I have introduced a number of significant changes in recent years including:
• Providing for higher income disregards. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, their income from work to the level of the income disregard, is not assessed in the means test.
• Expanding the list of agri-environmental schemes that qualify for a disregard, and as part of Budget 2023 I increased this disregard.
• Introduced a Rent a Room disregard, for all Social Protection schemes, to enable recipients to support those arriving from Ukraine, and others, in a tight housing market. Earlier this year, I extended that provision for a further two years.
• From January 2023 introduced significant changes to eligibility rules for Fuel Allowance, including a new means threshold for people aged 70 years and over - €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a couple. These changes resulted in an additional 35,000 households joining the scheme so far.
• Last year significantly increased the income and capital disregards for Carer's Allowance. This enables more carers with modest incomes to become eligible for the scheme and allows carers and their families to earn more from employment while retaining their carer’s payment.
• As part of Budget 2024 further increased the disregard to €450 for a single person, and €900 for carers with a spouse/partner from June.
• Regulations which provide for disregards in relation to UCD's Cothram na Féinne scholarship programme are in development and I hope to sign them in the coming days, benefitting third level students from lower income households.
I have committed to carrying out a broad review of means testing this year, which is ongoing, and it will be completed by the end of the year.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
