Vol. 444 No. 3
64 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the categories and level of applicants that the system can currently put on the household budget scheme; and if he will extend the scheme to cover lone parents, pensioners and other such claimants.
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.
The scheme is operating very successfully and there are now over 5,000 customers availing of the facility. Some customers opt to have more than one deduction made from their payment. The total number of weekly deductions currently made is close to 7,000 and these deductions have a value of £3.5 million per annum. The total deduction amount cannot exceed 25 per cent of a person's net weekly unemployment payments.
A person may choose to pay regular contributions to any of the following utilities — ESB, Bord Gáis and Telecom Éireann. This facility, which is already used to make some 2,000 weekly deductions, will be made available nationwide very soon. Deductions for rents in respect of certain local authorities are also included in the scheme. Over 20 local authorities are currently participating in the scheme. An Post is negotiating with other local authorities with a view to extending the scheme throughout the country.
