Vol. 448 No. 3
160 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the progress that has been achieved in bringing long and short term payments up to the main rates recommended by the Commission on Social Welfare; and the extra cost of bringing each payment up to the main rate from mid July 1995. [2150/95]
The Commission on Social Welfare (CSW) recommended a basic level of social welfare payment referred to as the "Main Rate". While they accepted that there was no universal method of deriving the level of this "Main Rate", they estimated that it would be in the range of £50-£60 in 1985 terms. The lower end of the range is £65 in current terms.
Table 1 below shows the current personal rates of social welfare payment as a percentage of the CSW Main Rate of £65.00. The Old Age Contributory and Retirement Pension rate was above the CSW rate in 1985 and has increased further above it since then. The rates which were originally below the CSW rate are converging towards this rate.
Table 1: Social Welfare Personal Rates as a Percentage of the CSW Main Rate
|
Scheme |
1985 |
Current |
|
Old Age Contributory and Retirement Pensions |
103% |
109% |
|
Survivor's Contributory Pension and Deserted Wife's Benefit |
93% |
99% |
|
Lone Parent's Allowance |
86% |
94% |
|
Unemployment Benefit and Disability Benefit |
79% |
94% |
|
Long-Term Unemployment Assistance |
70% |
94% |
|
Short-Term Unemployment Assistance |
66% |
91% |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
64% |
91% |
|
CSW Rate |
1995 |
Full Year |
|
£65 |
£60m |
£136m |
