James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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410. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will examine a matter concerning the rent-a-room scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21588/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In May 2022, I announced a series of measures designed to remove barriers facing social welfare customers who choose to accommodate people in their homes.

In practice, this means that a social welfare customer will be able to rent out a room in their home to a person who is not an employee or an immediate family member, for up to just under €270 per week (equivalent of €14,000 over a year), and will not see their social welfare payment impacted, including the Household Benefits Package or Living Alone Allowance.

While the Rent-A-Room means disregard applies to Fuel Allowance applicants who rent out a room in their own home, the Fuel Allowance household composition criteria have not been changed and existing rules still apply to all household members including those renting a room within the property for which the rental income is disregarded.

Therefore, Fuel Allowance will only be payable if the person renting a room is in receipt of a qualifying or disregarded Social Protection payment in their own right.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.