Minister Humphreys announces measures to remove barriers facing social welfare customers seeking to take in tenants

• New €14,000 disregard to bring Social Welfare System in line with Revenue
• Changes mean recipients of Living Alone Allowance won't see support impacted if they accommodate someone in their home
• Measures will remove financial impacts for customers who provide accommodation to individuals including those fleeing the Ukrainian crisis
• Minister Humphreys: 'This is a positive step designed to remove barriers facing social welfare customers'

Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has today announced a series of measures designed to remove barriers facing social welfare customers who choose to accommodate people in their homes.

Following Cabinet approval, the Minister has confirmed that she will sign regulations that will put in place a new Social Welfare Means Disregard of up to €14,000 per annum, in respect of those who rent a room in their home.

This is in line with the Rent a Room Relief Scheme, which has been in operation for years by the Revenue Commissioners.

In practice, this means that a social welfare customer will be able to rent out a room in their home for up to €14,000 per annum and will not see their means-tested social welfare payment impacted, including the Fuel Allowance or the Household Benefits Package.

Furthermore, Minister Humphreys is introducing changes relating to those who receive the Living Alone Allowance.

As a result of this change, if a person living alone provides a room in their home, they will not see their Living Alone Allowance affected.

This is particularly important in light of the challenges posed by the crisis in Ukraine and is part of the Government's overall response, the Minister said today.

There are currently 209,000 people receiving the Living Alone Allowance.

Announcing these measures today, Minister Humphreys said:

"For many months now, my officials and I have been working on proposals to remove barriers facing people in receipt of a social welfare payment who wish to provide accommodation in their home.

"There's no doubt the war in Ukraine has brought a new urgency to this situation.

"Therefore, I was really pleased to secure unanimous support in Cabinet for these changes - which I believe will form an important part of Government's overall effort in responding to the Ukraine crisis.

"But these measures also reflect our overriding desire to ensure rooms that are available in homes across the country are freed up for potential tenants. Where there are barriers or anomalies in place, it is up to us to remove them.

"These changes will also complement the new Recognition Payment decided upon by Government this week. The legislation underpinning these measures is being spearheaded by my Cabinet colleague, Minister Roderic O'Gorman, with whom I am working closely on this particular matter."

ENDS