Written answers

Thursday, 14 July 2022

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection

Social Welfare Eligibility

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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575. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress that has been made to date in the determination of eligibility for urgent assistance towards payment of a bill for a funeral in the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39342/22]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of the Additiona  Needs Payment (ANP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.

The ANP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Applications for ANPs are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.

According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for an ANP with effect from 03/06/2022, towards the cost of funeral expenses in respect of his late wife.  On 13/06/2022 a letter issued to the person concerned requesting bank statements for three accounts that he holds or a letter to verify the bank accounts were closed.  As the requested documentation was not provided by 28/06/2022 the application was closed as it could not be progressed.

Following the Deputy’s representation, the ANP application has been re-opened.  A further letter issued to the person concerned on 12/07/2022 requesting that the outstanding bank statements be submitted by 27/07/2022 in order to progress the application.  It should be noted assessment of the ANP cannot be progressed until the requested documents are received by the Community Welfare Service.

On receipt of the outstanding documentation, the application will be assessed, and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

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