asked the Minister for Social Welfare when an invalidity pension applied for by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5 will be paid.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
143.
The person concerned was examined on 8 October by a medical referee of the Department who certified that he satisfies the medical conditions for receipt of invalidity pension. It will be necessary, however, for him to make formal application and a claim form has now been issued to him. Invalidity pension will be awarded on its return duly completed.
144.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total amount of money being paid weekly by his Department throughout the country to help people with their mortgage repayments; the total amount for each year over the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
145.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the amount of supplementary welfare allowances which have been paid for each six month period over the last three years to people who are in difficulties with mortgage repayments; the number of people involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.
Assistance to people who are in difficulties with mortgage repayments is provided mainly through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the health boards. The boards do not maintain statistics in the form requested by the Deputy. Information is, however, available on the number of cases where supplementary welfare allowance by way of rent and mortgage supplements in excess of £5 a week were sanctioned by the Department and this is set out in the following table:
|
Year |
No. of Supplements Sanctioned (*) |
Estimated Average Supplement Sanctioned (**) |
Full-year value of cases sanctioned in the year (***) |
|
£ |
£ |
||
|
1984 |
|||
|
January-June |
260 |
||
|
July-December |
243 |
||
|
Total |
503 |
15.81 |
414,000 |
|
1985 |
|||
|
January-June |
420 |
||
|
July-December |
269 |
||
|
Total |
689 |
16.65 |
597,000 |
|
1986 |
|||
|
January-June |
504 |
||
|
July-December |
395 |
||
|
Total |
899 |
16.68 |
780,000 |
|
1987 |
|||
|
January-June |
887 |
17.69 |
816,000 |
*The figures in this column relate to mortgages only.
**The averages in this column relate to rent and mortgage supplements and separate data on mortgages alone are not available. Average mortgage supplements are not thought to be significantly different.
***Figures for actual expenditure on mortgages in the periods are not available. The figures in this column show the full yearly value (52 weeks) of mortgage supplements sanctioned each year.
In addition assistance towards, inter alia, mortgages is available under a scheme introduced on 17 November 1986 as part of the alleviating measures aimed at cushioning the losses to claimants arising from the implementation of the equal treatment provisions. It is estimated that some £335,000 paid out under this scheme up to 9 October 1987 was in respect of assistance towards mortgages.