Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 2 Mar 1993

Vol. 427 No. 2

Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

80 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of males and females, broken down between those aged 25 and over and those under 25, who are signing for credits but not in receipt of unemployment assistance; and in respect of those in receipt of unemployment assistance the numbers receiving less than £10 per week and less than £20 per week.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The following table shows the number of persons at end January 1993 who were signing for credits alone, categorised by sex and age.

Age	Males	Females	Total
Under 25	227	717	944
Over 25	2,623	13,283	15,906

Source: Central Statistics Office Live Register Statement, 29 January 1993.

Comprehensive details of rates of payment are not currently available on a nationwide basis. However, from some sampling of claims in payment at computerised offices in January of this year, it would appear that the numbers receiving less than £10 or between £10 and £20 are relatively small. The sample suggests that of the 191,057 persons being paid unemployment assistance slightly more than one third of 1 per cent of claimants were receiving less than £10 and just over 1 per cent were being paid between £10 and £20.

Enda Kenny

Question:

81 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Social Welfare if persons who are in receipt of British pensions only will be eligible for living alone allowance.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The living alone allowance is an increase in pension payable to social welfare pensioners who are over age 66 and are living on their own. It is an integral part of the weekly pension payable in such cases and it is not payable in addition to a pension from another country. No arrangement of this kind was provided for in the budget.

Peter Barry

Question:

82 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Social Welfare the basis on which pensioners no longer qualify for rent free phones; the numbers who have had this facility terminated since November 1992; his views on this policy in view of the increasing attacks on old age pensioners in their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

The purpose of the free telephone rental allowance scheme is to encourage elderly or disabled persons, who are living alone and who are dependent on social welfare type payments, to have a telephone in order to be able to summon help in an emergency. The allowance is not payable where the living alone condition is not satisfied, for example, where there is another person living in the household who is capable of seeking help in such circumstances.

However, I should mention that the living alone condition continues to be satisfied if there are children under 15 years in the household or if there is someone living there who is permanently incapacitated.

Some 105,000 recipients are currently getting the free telephone rental allowance; 2,751 allowances have been terminated since 1 November 1992 on the grounds that the living alone condition was no longer being satisfied. Expenditure on the scheme will be around £18 million in 1993.