Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of supplementary welfare allowance applications to date in 2022, by county; the number of applications awarded; the number refused; the total amount paid out; and the reason given for the payments, in tabular form [50694/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as additional needs payments to assist with costs that cannot be met from a clients own resources and are deemed to be necessary.

The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. 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.

Table 1 shows the number of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims registered, awarded and disallowed by county from January 2022 to September 2022.

Table 2 shows the number of additional needs payment claims registered, awarded and disallowed by county from January 2022 to September 2022.

These tables do not reflect claims that were withdrawn, cancelled or awaiting further information. The claim figures represent a snapshot of claim activity and are subject to change.

Table 3 shows the number of rent supplement recipients awarded by county at end of September 2022. Statistics are not available for Rent supplement claims registered and disallowed at present.

Table 4 shows the total expenditure for Basic SWA, Rent Supplement and Additional Needs Payments to end of August 2022. Figures for September 2022 are not yet available.A breakdown by county of this expenditure is not available.

Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Table 1- Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims registered, awarded and disallowed by county from January 2022 to end of September 2022

Table 2 - Number of additional needs payment claims registered, awarded and disallowed by county from January 2022 to September 2022

Table 3 – Rent Supplement recipients by county at the end of September 2022

Table 4 – Total expenditure for Basic SWA, Rent Supplement and Additional Needs Payments to end of August 2022