Written answers

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Department of Social Protection

Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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635. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if there has been an increase in the number of applicants refused social welfare assistance while waiting for their application for another scheme to be processed; if she will provide figures on the number of applications for SWA granted and refused for each month for the past two years. [37803/13]

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The Government has provided approximately €718 million for the various SWA schemes in 2013. Basic weekly SWA may be payable to customers awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment. The following is a tabular statement outlining the number of basic weekly SWA claims awarded and disallowed in 2011 and 2012. While the overall number of applications refused has decreased from a total of 4,344 in 2011 to 4,058 in 2012, the percentage of refused claims in relation to those awarded represents approximately 5% in both years.

Tabular Statement

Table 1: Number of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims awarded and disallowed by month for 2011.

Month
NumberAwarded
NumberDisallowed
January
7,218
322
February
7,882
435
March
7,307
387
April
8,716
319
May
7,004
347
June
8,181
332
July
10,130
430
August
7,084
429
September
9,521
385
October
7,695
329
November
7,003
319
December
7,486
310
Total
95,227
4,344

Table 2: Number of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims awarded and disallowed by month for 2012.

Month
NumberAwarded
NumberDisallowed
January
6,562
337
February
7,127
380
March
8,199
384
April
6,228
287
May
6,296
339
June
8,963
322
July
7,140
373
August
8,015
330
September
6,899
302
October
7,027
359
November
7,596
394
December
5,069
251
Total
85,121
4,058

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