Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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389. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if there are any social welfare payments that take a person's outgoings, for example a monthly mortgage payment, into account when calculating an entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45924/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most.

By its nature, the means test takes account of the income a person or couple has in terms of cash, property - other than the family home - and capital. It does not take account of a person’s expenditure.

Introducing a rent or mortgage disregard for means testing would have significant budgetary implications and would give rise to inconsistencies in how means tests are applied across schemes. It would also significantly increase the complexity of the means assessment.

In assessing maintenance payments in the means test, the housing costs actually incurred by the claimant, up to a maximum of €95.23 per week, may be offset against the maintenance payment, with half the balance of any remaining amount being assessed as means in the calculation.

Any changes in this regard would have to be considered in the overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.