Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 215: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number of persons disallowed rent allowance since 2002; his proposals to bring about changes in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31257/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive.

Detailed statistics of rent supplement applications refused are not maintained by the executive or on my Department's computer systems. However, my Department undertook a survey, in four of the former health board areas, of all rent supplement cases refused for the period 1 June 2004 to 30 November 2004. These regions account for one third of the rent supplement scheme. Based on this survey, which identified over 400 cases refused, the total number of refusals nationally is estimated to be in the order of 2,600 per annum. This is in the context of some 40,000 claims awarded per year, and of over 59,000 rent supplement claims in payment currently.

Given this relatively low rate of claim refusal, and the lack of any particular pattern or causes, I have no plans at present to modify the scheme rules. My Department will continue to monitor rent supplement decision outcomes periodically. More generally, the efficiency and effectiveness of the rent supplement scheme is being considered by my Department in the context of an overall review it is carrying out of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme generally, as part of the ongoing expenditure review programme.