Legislation provides that three categories of people are excluded from entitlement to supplementary welfare allowance, namely, those in full-time employment or full-time education and people engaged in industrial disputes. Health boards have always had the discretion to pay the allowance in urgent cases, even if the applicant is in one of the excluded categories. It is rare that payments are made in such circumstances, but it is important that health boards can deal appropriately with such eventualities.