Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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367. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide a breakdown of the waiting times in weeks for all ANP and ENP applications broken down per number of weeks per application for 2019, in tabular form. [60715/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may 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 customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.

The schemes are demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

The processing times in weeks for 2019 are not available.

The Department is continuing to develop the statistical output of this scheme to enhance the future dissemination of these figures.

The claims currently being received are varied and often quite complex, reflecting the individual circumstances being experienced. Where an application is complete and accompanied by the required documentation, it is generally processed very quickly. Where it is clear that a person has an immediate need, every effort is made to ensure he or she receives a payment on the same day. Any delays are typically due to additional information or documentation being requested from the person and the length of time it takes for the information to be provided. Some claims, by their very nature, are not as urgent and, in these cases, the community welfare officer, CWO, gives greater flexibility to the customers with extended time to respond. Upon receipt of this information, the application will then be processed quickly.

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.