Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department operates schemes to help people with energy costs.

My Department may make a single exceptional need payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

In 2019, over 3,000 ENPs were made to assist with the payment of household bills and heating costs at a cost of €913,000 . Last year, 2,234 ENPs were made in this category at a total cost of €670,000. So far, 1,788 payments have been made this year (to the end of October 2021) at a cost of €565,000.

Table 1 shows the number of ENPs paid by county for energy related costs to end of October 2021.

A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition and are unable to meet those costs out of household income. Approximately 1,100 people benefited from this supplement in 2020. There are currently just under 1,000 claimants in receipt of a heating supplement.

Anyone who wishes to make an application for a payment under the SWA schemes should contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. There is a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1 - Number of ENPs paid by county for 2021 (end of October)