Written answers

Tuesday, 11 October 2005

Department of Social and Family Affairs

Social Welfare Benefits

9:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 267: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if persons participating in community employment schemes, including the back to education scheme, are allowed to continue to receive the rent allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27813/05]

Photo of Séamus BrennanSéamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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People on employment support schemes such as community employment may qualify for rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Their claims are normally assessed under the standard scheme rules concerning residency, means, housing need and other relevant factors. Under these rules, rent supplements are calculated to ensure that an eligible person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of supplementary welfare allowance appropriate to his or her family circumstances, less a minimum contribution of €13 which each recipient is required to pay from his or her own resources. Where a person has an income in excess of the supplementary welfare allowance rate of payment, up to €60 per week of this additional income can be disregarded for means assessment purposes to help ensure a person is better off as a result of taking up such an opportunity. A person who is in receipt of rent supplement and who is considering taking up an offer of a community employment place may continue to receive rent supplement, subject to the standard means test outlined or under special retention arrangements.

These special arrangements, which have been in place for a number of years, allow people to retain a portion of their rent supplement where they take up work through approved employment support schemes such as community employment, subject to a weekly household income limit of €317.43. A participant in community employment has the option of being assessed under standard rules or using the retention arrangement outlined and will be entitled to receive payment under the more favourable option in his or her situation.

People in full-time education are excluded normally from receipt of rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. However, people participating in approved courses under the back-to-education allowance scheme receive a standard weekly rate of payment equivalent to the maximum rate of their previous social welfare payment and may retain any secondary benefits, such as rent supplements, which had been in payment prior to the commencement of their education course. This is subject to the same weekly household income limit of €317.43, which may be relevant if the person pursuing the full-time education course has part-time employment. These special provisions are in place to encourage and facilitate people to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force.

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