Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

649. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the cost of increasing the Telephone Support Allowance by €1. [39260/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50 for people on certain social welfare payments who are also receiving both the Living Alone Increase and the Fuel Allowance. The primary objective of the TSA is to support the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, by helping them maintain access to personal alarms or phones for security.

The projected trend in TSA recipients is estimated at approximately 164,000 (the average of recipients over the past 12 months and extending that trend through 2026). The full year cost of the TSA Scheme at the current rate for 2025 is estimated at approximately €21.3 million.

Based on 164,00 recipients, the estimated additional yearly cost of increasing the weekly rate of TSA from €2.50 to €3.50 (an increase of €1.00 per week) would cost approximately €8.5 million.

All proposals to increase the Telephone Support Allowance can only be considered in the context of overall Government policy and available budgetary resources.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.