Vol. 451 No. 2
107 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Social Welfare the proposals, if any, he has to have a survey carried out on the increase in applications for assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme supplementing rents administered by the health boards. [6536/95]
A review group chaired by my Department was set up in September 1994 to review the role of the supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme in providing housing supports.
The group also consists of representatives from the local authorities, the health boards, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health and the Department of Finance. This review is attempting to identify, inter alia, the reasons for the increase in expenditure on rent and mortgage supplements and the likely trends for the future.
In the context of this review, sample surveys of clients receiving rent supplements have been carried out in a number of areas around the country. These results are currently being analysed.
Survey work on housing supplements has also been carried out by the Economic and Social Research Institute in the context of a current research study of social housing needs for the Department of the Environment.
