The purpose of SWA rent supplement, like other social welfare programmes, is to meet income maintenance needs, not long-term housing needs. This measure is needed to refocus the scheme on income maintenance such as existing tenants who become unemployed and can no longer afford to pay their rent. For the most part, health boards decide whether an applicant for the rent supplement is in need of accommodation without reference to the local authority. In future, claimants for rent supplement will be referred to the local authority for an assessment of housing need in a more systematic manner. This measure will lead to an increased role for local authorities in this area. In addition, ways of improving the service given to people with long-term housing needs are currently under discussion with local authorities. Furthermore, rent supplement will no longer be paid to people who refuse offers of local authority accommodation or to those who leave such accommodation without reasonable cause.