Dáil debates

Thursday, 23 April 2015

Topical Issue Debate

Exceptional Needs Payments

1:40 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, for coming to the House to deal with this issue, which relates to two very sad cases that occurred around the same time. It involves the death of two people, one after a very lengthy illness, following which the household was left with various financial and other difficulties. However, I do not propose to go into those details in this public arena. The second case involves the death of a young child in equally tragic circumstances. In this case, the parents, who had been employed up to a year ago, did not have the resources to meet the cost of the child's funeral. Previously, such people would have been entitled to a bereavement grant. The bereavement grant has been replaced by the exceptional needs payment, which has the capacity to address individual household cases in terms of assistance required.

In the first case, a payment was made but it was insufficient to meet the cost of the funeral expenses. As we all know, funeral expenses are considerable, and hugely so for families in financial difficulty, particularly following a period of long illness prior to death. In both cases a payment was made, and in both cases it was insufficient. I discussed these cases on a number of occasions with a very helpful person in the Department, following which further payments were made, but, again, these were far short of what was required in terms of addressing the issue. In an effort to have this issue addressed, I have raised it by way of parliamentary question on a number of occasions. Sadly, it has not been addressed. To my mind, it reflects poorly on the institutions of this State that we are not in a position to respond in the way that we should. I am not suggesting that everybody should get full payment of their funeral costs. The cases I am highlighting involved particularly extenuating circumstances, which were clear to everybody. Even a cursory examination of the means of the households in question would lead to the conclusion that close to the maximum payment would be necessary. However, this did not happen. The neighbours then had to rally round and organise events to help out. Good neighbours are greatly appreciated and this type of activity should be always encouraged. Those involved did a great job. However, I would not like to see this happen again.

I am asking today that the two cases I have highlighted be reviewed with a view to ensuring some semblance of parity with the funeral costs involved and that in future such cases only one visit would be required to allow assessment for payment, thereby reducing the cost to the State in terms of administration.

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A bereavement at any stage is always very difficult for families.

I sympathise with the two cases Deputy Durkan has brought to my attention. It would be worthwhile to outline the policy position.

The administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was transferred to the Department of Social Protection on 1 October 2011. The Department of Social Protection's assistant principal officers and higher executive officers administer the supplementary welfare allowance scheme.

The objectives of the scheme are to provide a standard minimum income, in an immediate and flexible manner, to those whose means are insufficient to meet their basic needs. The scheme also provides income support in the form of a weekly or monthly supplement to those with specific needs that cannot be met from their regular weekly income. In addition, the scheme can assist, by way of a single payment, individuals who have one-off exceptional or urgent needs that cannot be met from their regular weekly income.

In the context of the administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, governance in the community welfare service involves implementing the highest standards in the process of decision-making and the process by which those decisions are implemented. In this regard, this means strict adherence to the Department's legislative policies and guidelines.

Section 201 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provides the legal basis for exceptional needs payments. The Government has provided €29 million for the exceptional needs payment scheme in 2015. The purpose of the scheme is to assist the recipient with one-off expenditure, which is exceptional and unforeseen and which, given the circumstances of the case, they could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their normal weekly income. Exceptional needs payments are not intended to cater for expenses that are of a predictable and recurring nature, such as fuel or clothing, which should be budgeted for out of regular weekly income.

In making a determination on an exceptional needs payment application, the community welfare officer considers the nature and extent of the need in deciding the appropriate nature and level of assistance. In performing this function, the Department's officer must take into account the available guidelines issued by regional and local management.

A claim for assistance with funeral expenses under the social welfare allowance scheme is treated as a claim for an exceptional needs payment. In 2014, the Department supported approximately 3,000 applicants with financial assistance towards the costs of funeral expenses, at a provisional cost of some €4.6 million. Entitlement to an exceptional needs payment for assistance towards funeral expenses is discretionary. The application is means tested and the primary consideration in determining that a payment is warranted is that there is an inability to pay the costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship.

In determining eligibility for an exceptional needs payment towards the cost of funeral expenses, the community welfare officer must establish that the person applying for the payment has difficulty in meeting the funeral costs without causing hardship while also considering the ability of other members of the family to meet, or contribute to, the cost involved. In performing this function, the community welfare officer must take into account the available guidelines on funeral expenses.

There were 189 exceptional needs payments awarded to assist with funeral expenses by the Department in Kildare from January 2014 to February 2015. The maximum payment made was €2,500 and the minimum payment made was €100. In total, €314,090 was paid, representing an average payment of €1,661.

In the case of the first person concerned, a payment of €1,500 was awarded initially by the community welfare officer towards the cost of the funeral expenses. This was increased to €2,500 following a review by the review officer at the request of the person concerned. In the case of the second person concerned, a payment of €2,000 was awarded by the community welfare officer towards the cost of the funeral expenses. This was increased to €3,000 following a review by the review officer at the request of the person concerned.

In any circumstances where an applicant is unhappy with the outcome of an application for an exceptional needs payment, the applicant may have the original decision reviewed by a supplementary welfare allowance review officer. I am satisfied that the procedures and guidelines relating to the provision of assistance towards funeral costs through the exceptional needs payments scheme were adhered to in respect of these two cases.

1:50 pm

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive reply. There is a little inaccuracy in it that I will convey to him privately-----

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I can imagine what it was.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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-----so as to avoid any embarrassment to anybody.

In the first case, the unfortunate situation was that a young person had to become the statutory carer for the remaining siblings in the family and, in fact, had to become their guardian and take on guardianship responsibilities. In those circumstances, there is no more pressing case that I can think of where the maximum payment applicable should be paid, and it was not done. Even after two attempts, it still was not done. I ask the Minister of State to have a look at the case because, having been in a previous incarnation an incumbent in exactly the same position in which he is now, I can assure him strange things happen when one looks closely at the smaller print.

The second case, where all the children in the household were very young, involved very difficult circumstances. They also had nowhere to turn to except the statutory authorities that can be relied on in these circumstances. It goes without saying that where a child dies, as the Minister of State rightly said, it is particularly tragic for any family, but, also following two visits, the payment did not come near what was required to make an indent of some consequence on the cost of the funeral expenses.

I ask that the Minister of State have a look at both of those cases. I guarantee that he will find adequate support for what I have said.

Photo of Kevin HumphreysKevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Deputy Durkan knows me well. Of course I will look into the issue.

In the case of the first person concerned, a payment totalling €2,500 has now been made towards the funeral bill of €5,505. In the case of the second person concerned, a payment totalling €3,000 towards the funeral bill of €6,845 has now been made by the Department. Considering the pressure families come under at a difficult time, those are quite considerable sums.

The cost of funerals is something that has concerned me for quite a long period and Deputies Eamonn Maloney and Robert Dowds have raised it consistently in the House. My concern is that people are in delicate circumstances when a close family member passes away. For a long time, I have been particularly concerned about the cost of funerals. When a person loses a loved one, a funeral is not something for which he or she would shop around. It is difficult, and often families have relationships with particular undertakers, but there is an onus, possibly on the State, to ensure that the cost of funerals is competitive, people are not overcharged and there is not profiteering. I am not suggesting that this happened in these cases, but both Deputy Durkan and I know many people who have come back to us stating that if they had known beforehand the cost of the funeral they might have gone elsewhere. There is possibly something we can do in that regard.

With regard to the two cases Deputy Durkan raised, for which he has already provided the contact details and arrangements, I will have officials in my Department look at them again.

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State.