John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

38. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of social welfare payments that take child maintenance payments into account as means; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19257/18]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department operates a range of means tested social assistance payments. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test for these schemes takes account of the income and assets of the person and a spouse / partner, if applicable. Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as property owned (other than the family home) and capital such as savings, shares and other investments.

The means-tested social assistance payments for which maintenance payments are assessed as means are jobseeker’s allowance; disability allowance; farm assist; state pension non-contributory; supplementary welfare allowance; blind pension; one-parent family payment; pre-retirement allowance; and widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s non-contributory pension. For these schemes, maintenance payments (including maintenance payments made to or in respect of a qualified child) are assessed by first disregarding any housing costs incurred up to €4,952 per annum (or €95.23 per week), and then assessing the remainder at 50%.

Accordingly, the total value of any maintenance payments is never assessed as means for these weekly income support payments and the total income received by the family (social welfare payment and maintenance payment combined) will be higher than someone not receiving maintenance payments.

Maintenance payments made to qualified adults of social insurance payments, as well as working family payment recipients, are assessed as means.