Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if she will investigate the non-payment of backdated rent supplement to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44682/09]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive.

The 2009 Supplementary Budget introduced new arrangements for access to rent supplement. In order to qualify for a rent supplement, from 27 July 2009, a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out within the 12 months preceding the date of claim and the person is deemed by the relevant local authority to be eligible for and in need of social housing support.

In all other cases, a person who wishes to apply for rent supplement is referred, in the first instance, for an assessment of eligibility for social housing support by the relevant local housing authority. Only when the person has been assessed as being eligible for and in need of social housing support, does the person become eligible for consideration for rent supplement.

The Executive has advised that the person concerned applied for rent supplement in August 2009. As he did not satisfy the qualifying conditions for access to rent supplement, he was advised to apply to his local housing authority for an assessment of his housing needs. An assessment, indicating that he is eligible for and in need of social housing support was completed by the Local Authority on 19 October 2009. In accordance with the relevant legislative provisions, rent supplement has been awarded from the 19 October 2009. The person concerned does not have an entitlement to rent supplement for any period prior to being assessed by a housing authority as being eligible for and in need of social housing support.

The Executive has further advised that the person concerned appealed against the decision not to backdate the payment of rent supplement to August 2009, to a HSE Appeals Officer. That officer upheld the decision of the Executive. It remains open to the person concerned to appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.