Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes. The means of the guardian, including any maintenance payments paid to him or her in respect of the child, are not assessed when establishing entitlement to the payment. It is a means-tested payment that is based on the means of the child.

The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023 is currently before the Oireachtas and is expected to be enacted in the coming weeks. One of the main purposes of the Bill is to give legislative effect to changes to the social welfare system, which provide that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means for social welfare purposes. This covers a range of schemes including the guardian’s payment, non-contributory. The amendment follows from a recommendation of the child maintenance review group, which was accepted by the Government.

Currently, the guardian's payment, contributory, is paid in respect of 1,575 children and the guardian's payment, non-contributory, is paid in respect of 814 children. That is the current situation.

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