Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independents 4 Change)
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45. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide the statistics of exceptional needs payments from the two Intreo offices in the Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 areas for November 2022, December 2022 and January 2023. [6134/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make additional needs payments to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary. 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 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.

The specific information requested on supplementary welfare allowance schemes by Intreo Centre is not collated; however it can be provided by county. Table 1 shows additional need payment applications registered and awarded for County Dublin in November and December 2022.

Statistics relating to claims made in January 2023 are not yet available. A statistical summary will be published on a quarterly basis for 2023 onwards.

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.

Tabular Statement

Table 1- Additional Need Payment applications registered and awarded for County Dublin in November and December 2022.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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46. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of applications for additional needs payments to date in 2023; if she can clarify the number of these that have been rejected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6074/23]

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.

Additional Needs Payments are demand led and 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.

In 2022 there were 146,569 Additional Needs Payment applications, of which 17,628 were disallowed.

Statistics relating to claims made in 2023 are not yet available. A statistical summary will be published on a quarterly basis for 2023 onwards.

Any person who considers that 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.