Written answers

Wednesday, 14 July 2021

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Schemes

Photo of Paul KehoePaul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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237. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of the working family payment for a person (details supplied); when the payment will be reinstated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38369/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. In order to qualify for WFP, an applicant must be engaged in full-time paid employment as an employee for not less than 38 hours per fortnight.

Working Family Payment for the person concerned was due for renewal from 19 May 2021.

In order to determine his eligibility for working family payment his file was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) to review.

This Social Welfare Inspector’s review has now been completed and the person concerned has now been awarded WFP from 19 May 2021 to 18 May 2022.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Photo of Niamh SmythNiamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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238. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the circumstances under which a person can access rent supplement and or HAP when they are not on a local authority housing list. [38385/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 17,700 active recipients at the end of June 2021.

The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment or income, can continue to meet their rental commitments.

To qualify for Rent Supplement, an officer must be satisfied that, at the time of application, the claimant was previously in receipt of a rent supplement payment within 12 months of the date of application; or was residing in private rented accommodation, where at the commencement of the tenancy the person could have reasonably afforded the rent, and has experienced a substantial change in his or her circumstances.

Whether a person is on the housing list or not does not affect supplement entitlement. However, where a person is not eligible for the scheme generally they are referred to their local housing authority to have their housing needs assessed and, if successful, would be placed on the housing list.

The Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) is administered by Local Authorities. Policy relating to the qualifying conditions for access to HAP is a matter for the Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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