Verona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

197. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if a person who is living alone and who is renting a room with a tenancy agreement in an owner-occupied property will be affected in relation to their additional benefits such as the living alone allowance and fuel allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47624/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Rent-A-Room means disregard applies to social welfare customers who rent a room in their own home. This allows for up to a limit of €269.23 per week in respect of income from renting a room in their own home to be disregarded. The prescribed conditions for benefitting from this disregard can be found in the Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims. Payments and Control) (Amendment) (No 10) (Income Disregard) Regulation 2022 (SI 397/22).

Household composition criteria must be satisfied for a person to continue to receive or to qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment.

I also introduced a change in the rules for those who receive the Living Alone Allowance.  The change facilitates continued payment of the Living Alone Allowance to those who accommodate people (but not immediate family members or employees), via rental or otherwise, in their own home. 

Research has consistently shown that those living alone are more at risk of poverty than those who live as a couple or family.  This is particularly true of older people who live alone.  The main objective of the Living Alone Allowance payment is to compensate for the additional individual costs of living alone, when compared to a couple or a family unit. 

I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.