Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 102: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce an Oireachtas members enquiry line for rent allowance queries in view of the fact that no such facility currently exists and the lo-call general enquiry numbers provided by her experience a high volume of calls and many calls go unanswered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5687/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department has set up Oireachtas Member's Enquiry Lines for each service area. In relation to Rent Supplement, which forms part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, a dedicated e-mail box has been created for such queries. The address is: TDREPS.SuppWelfareAllowance@welfare.ie

All queries to this address are dealt with promptly.

Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 103: To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason for including an under 24 years old on jobseeker's benefit who lives at home in the overall means for a household who is applying for the household benefit package; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5713/12]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

One of the conditions for receipt of the household benefits package is that an applicant who is under age 70, must be living alone or only with excepted people. These excepted people include: a qualified adult; a dependent child or children aged between 18 and 22 years of age, if in full-time education; a person who would qualify for the allowances in his or her own right; or a person providing full time care and attention.

The claim for household benefits has been disallowed in this instance, not on the basis of a means test as such, but as the household composition rules are not satisfied.

The household benefits package is made up of three allowances, electricity or gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence. These allowances provide contributions towards electricity or natural gas or bottled gas refill bill and telephone bill and cover the cost of the television licence each year. Provision for 2011 on household benefits was €382 million. As of end of December 2011 there were over 400,000 customers on household benefits package.

One of the objectives of the household benefits package is to provide assistance to older people who are living alone or with certain excepted people by targeting them with specific benefits that provide both income and social inclusion gains.