Vol. 458 No. 8
153 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the total cost of bringing the current social welfare rates up to the main rates recommended by the Commission on Social Welfare; and the cost for each benefit/allowance scheme of such an increase. [17591/95]
The Commission on Social Welfare recommended that the "common basic payment" to which all social welfare recipients should be entitled was of the order of £50 to £60 per week in 1985 terms. The equivalent range in 1995 terms is £66.60 to £79.90 per week.
The cost of increasing the current social welfare rates up to these main rates is set out in the following table. Where necessary the adult dependant rate has been increased to maintain it at 60 per cent of the personal rate, as recommended by the Commission.
Cost in a Full Year of Increasing Rates to the CSW Main Rates
|
Increase to |
Increase to |
|
|
£66.60 |
£79.90 |
|
|
(£m) |
(£m) |
|
|
Social Insurance |
||
|
Long Term |
||
|
Old Age Contributory/Retirement Pension |
0.00 |
50.43 |
|
Invalidity Pension |
5.01 |
37.09 |
|
Survivors/Deserted Wife's |
2.89 |
79.83 |
|
OIB — Survivors |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
OIB — Disablement |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Short Term |
||
|
Disability Benefit |
10.29 |
43.56 |
|
Injury Benefit/Interim DB |
0.37 |
1.58 |
|
Unemployment Benefit |
14.08 |
59.64 |
|
Total Social Insurance |
32.64 |
272.13 |
|
Social Assistance |
||
|
Long Term |
||
|
Old Age Non-Contributory/Blind Person's Pension |
23.09 |
97.92 |
|
Widows Non-Contributory Pension |
4.14 |
17.55 |
|
Deserted/Prisoners Wife's Allowance |
0.46 |
1.95 |
|
Lone Parent's Allowance |
10.38 |
44.06 |
|
Carers Allowance |
1.73 |
7.33 |
|
Long Term Unemployment Assistance |
38.05 |
161.04 |
|
Smallholders |
2.91 |
12.31 |
|
Pre-Retirement Allowance |
4.05 |
17.14 |
|
*Disabled Persons Maintenance Allowance |
7.85 |
33.29 |
|
Short Term |
||
|
Short Term Unemployment Assistance |
13.62 |
44.21 |
|
Supplementary Welfare Allowance |
5.89 |
18.99 |
|
Total Social Assistance |
112.17 |
455.79 |
|
Overall Total |
145.00 |
728.00 |
