asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether he proposes to raise the basic rent subsidy of £5.00 available under the supplementary welfare allowances scheme in view of the fact that the basic allowance has been unchanged since 1977; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers . - Supplementary Welfare Allowances .
266.
: The figure of £5 mentioned is the maximum amount of weekly addition to other income which may under regulations be paid in the normal course by a health board. Amounts in excess of £5 may, however, be paid with the consent of the Department and this consent is readily given. With a view to improving the effectiveness of the administration of the scheme of supplementary welfare allowances I am, however, proposing to increase the limit up to which the health boards may make payment without reference to the Department.
The making of an amending regulation will require the sanction of the Minister for Finance.
267.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will explain the reduction in the revised Estimates for the Public Services in the allocation for supplementary welfare allowances from £21,649,000 in the 1982 provisional outturn to £21,130,000 in 1983 section K.10 Head 47; whether the criteria for receiving supplementary welfare allowances are being changed in order to achieve such a saving; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
: Expenditure by the health boards on supplementary welfare allowances is financed from two sources, namely, contributions from the local authorities and grants from the Vote for my Department. In 1982 large payments arose on certain items such as arrears in respect of earlier years and the double allowance granted in January under the National Fuel Scheme which, under a Government decision limiting local authorities' contributions, had to be met fully from my Department's Vote. These items will not recur in 1983 and this is the reason for the reduction in the estimate for the sub-head concerned.
Overall expenditure on supplementary welfare allowances is expected to increase to £33.26 million in 1983 from £30.1 million in 1982 and there is accordingly no question of an overall saving or of a change in the criteria for receipt of allowances.
268.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will provide information on the number of people and their dependants who in the last week for which figures are available were in receipt of supplementary welfare allowances; and the number of people who received special allowances to cover (a) rent; (b) exceptional heating needs; (c) special dietary needs; (d) bedding needs; (e) furniture needs; (f) rental arrears; (g) heating arrears; (h) essential travel fares; (i) funeral expenses; (k) clothing needs; and (l) footwear needs.
: On the week ending 31 March 1980, the latest date for which complete returns of supplementary welfare allowances are available, the total numbers of recipients and their dependants were 17,413 and 21,940, respectively.
The numbers of persons in receipt of additions to their incomes were as follows:
|
(a) rent |
1,316 |
|
(b) exceptional heating needs |
2,144 |
|
(c) special dietary needs |
287 |
Statistics are not kept in a form which would enable the number of recipients under headings (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (k) to be given. A total of 2,359 payments were made in March 1980 for exceptional needs including those listed by the Deputy.
In March 1980 the cost of 82 burials were met under the scheme and it is also possible that the figure for exceptional needs includes assistance towards funeral expenses.
During the 1979-80 footwear season assistance was paid in respect of 44,159 children.