Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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If a person applies for a social assistance payment and they are married, in a civil partnership or cohabitating, the means of their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant are also taken into account in the means test.

Entitlement to a social insurance payment is based on a person's social insurance record and the personal rate of payment is not subject to a means test. However, if they wish to apply for an increase in their payment for a qualified adult, their spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's means will be assessed.

A qualified adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the recipient of the payment who is being wholly or mainly maintained by that person. Claimants with a qualified adult partner are recognised within the social welfare system as having additional needs because their spouse/partner is financially dependent on them. The payment of an Increase for a Qualified Adult, in addition to the personal rate of payment, reflects these additional household needs.

The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves, so that social welfare expenditure can be directed towards those who need it most.

When calculating the weekly means from savings or other capital, the first €20,000 of capital is fully disregarded; the next €10,000 assessed at €1 per thousand, the next €10,000 is assessed at €2 per thousand, with the remainder assessed at €4 per thousand.

The means test is based on the means held solely or jointly by the qualified adult. Where savings, property or other assets are held jointly, the spouse or partner's means is taken to be half of the total amount. It should be noted that the value of the family home, regardless of who is the legal owner, is never taken into account in this assessment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.