Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 419: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the free schemes do not apply to a person who is looking after their elderly mother and in receipt of carer's benefit, while their neighbour is in receipt of carer's allowance and can qualify for the free schemes. [32644/06]

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

The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity/gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to people with disabilities and carers under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments such as carer's allowance.

Widows and widowers aged from 60 to 65 whose late spouses had been in receipt of the household benefits package retain that entitlement to ensure that households do not suffer a loss of entitlements following the death of a spouse. People aged over 70 years of age can qualify for the household benefits package regardless of their income or household composition.

In the case of people aged under 66, the household benefits package is generally associated with long term schemes rather than short term schemes such as carer's benefit. Where a person in receipt of carer's benefit would also qualify for carer's allowance he/she may transfer to carer's allowance if that is more beneficial to him/her.

A range of proposals have been made to extend the coverage of the household benefits package of free schemes. These proposals are kept under review in the context of the objectives of the scheme and budgetary resources.

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 420: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will review the rules whereby a single parent can lose eligibility to the back to school allowance by taking up work which amounts to a lesser number of hours than would be sufficient to qualify for family income supplement; and if he will make changes to ensure that traps of this nature are removed in order that all single parents are encouraged to take up whatever work opportunities are compatible with their parental responsibilities. [32682/06]

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

The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs of clothing and footwear when their children start school each autumn. In order to qualify for payment of the allowance, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare or Health Service Executive payment, be participating in an approved employment scheme or attending a recognised education and training course and have household income at or below certain set levels. The purpose of the means test is to target the allowance at people on lower incomes.

Budget 2006 provided for a number of improvements to the scheme. These include:

An increase of EUR 40 in the rate payable so that, from June 2006, an allowance of EUR 120 is payable in respect of qualified children aged from 2 to 11 years and EUR 190 in respect of qualified children aged from 12 to 22 years.

Extension of entitlement to the back to school clothing and footwear allowance to recipients of guardian's (formerly orphan's) payments for the first time.

An increase in the additional income disregard for entitlement to the scheme from EUR 50 to EUR 100.

The new income limits for the BSCFA scheme for 2006 are based on the maximum rate of state pension (contributory) (under 80) – including the Qualified Adult Allowance — plus EUR 100 in the case of married and cohabiting couples; and the maximum rate of widow's/widower's contributory pension (under 80) plus EUR 100 for lone parents, plus child dependant allowance in each case.

These extended income limits have enabled more people to become eligible for BSCFA. For example, a lone parent with one child can earn up to EUR 129.80 per week, qualify for a one-parent family payment of EUR 185.10 and be eligible for a once off BSCFA payment of either EUR 120 or EUR 190. If the earnings from employment in such a case are greater than EUR 129.80 per week, then BSCFA is not payable but I do not regard this as a disincentive to take up work at that level of earnings.

I consider the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme to be an important support for parents at a time of financial pressure.I consider that the improvements to the scheme for this year provide a major boost to meeting the financial costs associated with return to school for those who most need assistance. I will continue to examine opportunities for further improvements to the scheme, including the extension of income limits, in the context of the Budget and in the light of resources available to me for improvements in social welfare payments and supports generally.

Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 421: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if he will review the decision to refuse the back to work allowance of a person (details supplied); if he will introduce measures to ensure that all social welfare recipients taking up employment are informed automatically of this allowance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32697/06]

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

The back to work allowance scheme is part of my Department's programme of initiatives designed to assist long term unemployed, lone parents, and other social welfare recipients to return to the active labour force. The allowance is intended to encourage claimants to take up employment who might not otherwise do so. The scheme is not intended for people who are already in work or who are in a position to take up work in any event without the benefit of the allowance.

The person concerned commenced employment in July 2005. As her back to work allowance application was not received in my Department until February 2006, seven months later, her application was refused and she requested a review of the refusal. The decision to refuse her application was upheld on review.

Persons applying for the allowance must do so in advance of taking up employment. This allows my Department to determine the eligibility of the applicant for the scheme. This is clearly stated on the application form and accompanying information booklet.

The scheme itself is advertised widely – such as through the local social welfare offices, citizen's information centres, my Department's and the new Citizens Information websites, and my Department's guide to social welfare services publication. My Department's network of facilitators, covering all local social welfare offices, are also on hand to advise customers on their options when considering employment education or training in order to gain a foothold into the labour force.