Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 Dec 1990

Vol. 403 No. 6

Written Answers. - Cost of Social Welfare Increases.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

54 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost or estimated cost to the Exchequer in a full year of increasing maximum rate of social welfare payments to £58 per week for personal rate and £92.80 for a person with an adult dependant for the following social assistance schemes (a) old age non-contributory pension (b) blind pension (c) widows non-contributory pension (d) short term and long term unemployment assistance (e) single woman's allowance (f) carer's allowance and (g) supplementary welfare allowance.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Estimated annual cost of increasing maximum personal rates to £58 per week and adult dependant rates to £34.80.

Scheme	Annual Cost
	£ millions
(a) Old Age Non-Contributory Pension	27.80
(b) Blind Pension	27.80
(c) Widows Non-Contributory Pension	4.90
(d) Unemployment Assistance Short Term	21.20
Unemployment Assistance Long Term	48.70
(e) Single Woman's Allowance	0.70
(f) Carer's Allowance	1.10
(g) Supplementary Welfare Allowance	8.20

The above costs are based on recipient and adult dependant numbers at the end of September 1990 and the July 1990 social welfare rates of payment.

Emmet Stagg

Question:

55 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Social Welfare the cost or estimated cost to the Exchequer in a full year of increasing the maximum rates of social welfare payments to £63.80 per week for personal rate and £102.40 for a person with an adult dependant for the following social insurance schemes (a) unemployment benefit (b) disability benefit (c) retirement pension (d) old age contributory pension (e) widow's contributory pension (f) deserted wife's benefit and (g) invalidity pension.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

Estimated annual cost of increasing maximum personal rates to £63.80 per week and adult dependant rates to £38.60 per week.

Scheme	Annual Cost
	£ millions
(a) Unemployment Benefit	49.40
(b) Disability Benefit	50.40
(c) Retirement Pension	4.40
(d) Old Age Contributory Pension	7.20
(e) Widows Contributory Pension	30.90
(f) Deserted Wife's Benefit	4.20
(g) Invalidity Pension	18.20

The above costs are based on recipients and adult dependant numbers at the end of September, 1990 and the July 1990 social welfare rates of payment.