John Bruton
Question:63 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether the household budgeting facility, to help social welfare recipients in managing household bills, is yet available in County Meath.
Written Answers. - Houshold Budgeting Scheme.
The household budgeting scheme is a free service operated on behalf of Social Welfare customers by An Post. People receiving unemployment payments can authorise An Post to deduct regular amounts towards various household bills from their weekly unemployment payments. An Post pays the amounts deducted to the appropriate organisations.
Household budgeting has been designed as an aid to managing household finances for those who wish to avail of it. A person may choose to pay regular contributions to any of the following utilities — ESB, Bord Gais, local authority rents and mortgages and Telecom Éireann. Total deductions cannot exceed 25 per cent of a person's net weekly unemployment payments.
Deductions made in this regular way help such customers to cope with ongoing expenses and in clearing arrears. This scheme will also assist in reducing the recourse to moneylenders.
The scheme is currently in operation in the greater Dublin area and in Counties Waterford and Kilkenny. It will be extended to other counties on a phased basis. Extension of the scheme is dependent on securing agreement with the various local authorities and also on the transfer of clients to my Department's newer methods of payment. Progress has been very good to date and I expect a number of additional counties to come on to the new scheme in the coming months. I wish to assure the Deputy I plan to have the household budgeting scheme operational in every county, including County Meath, as soon as is practical.
My Department and An Post are also seeking ways of offering the facility to other types of Social Welfare customer. There is considerable potential for the further development of this scheme. I am considering various options at present. I hope to announce extensions in the scheme over the coming months.