Pat Cox
Question:47 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of recipients of unemployment benefit; and the total amount paid to such individuals.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
There were 72,886 people in receipt of an unemployment benefit payment from my Department at end March 1994. In 1993, total expenditure on unemployment benefit amounted to £260 million. The estimate for 1994, which was published recently, is £240 million.
Desmond J. O'Malley
Question:48 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of people who are in receipt of reduced disability benefit and who are dependent on supplementary welfare allowances as a result.
Employees earning £30 or more per week are generally covered by Class A social insurance, and can qualify for the full range of benefits, including disability benefit. In the case of people earning less than £70 per week, some benefits including disability benefit are paid at graduated reduced rates.
At the beginning of March 1994 there were approximately 2,470 people in receipt of disability benefit at the graduated rates of payment. It is estimated that approximately 300 or 12 per cent of these recipients were also in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance.