Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
Austin Deasy
Question:
167
Mr. Deasy
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if the case will be examined for a person (details supplied) in County Waterford who was granted only a reduced payment of supplementary welfare allowance while attending a private treatment centre; if he will allow full payment of this allowance in these circumstances to avoid undue financial hardship and anxiety during the recovery period; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10557/99]
The supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme provides entitlement to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department.
A basic weekly payment of SWA is payable to persons who do not satisfy the conditions for entitlement to a social insurance or social assistance payment and as an interim payment to people who are awaiting a decision on a claim for any such payment.
In the case of persons who have applied for a social welfare or health board payment because of illness and who are hospitalised, the processing of this payment can continue and payment made to the person while in hospital.
The full basic rate of SWA is not payable to a person while in hospital as their basic needs are being provided in the hospital by the Department of Health and Children. However, in recognition of their need for toiletries, newspapers and so on, an allowance known as a comfort allowance can be paid by the health board under the SWA scheme to people who have no income or means while in hospital.
In the case raised by the Deputy, the person concerned was in receipt of the rate basic personal rate of SWA, £68.40 per week, from 10 September 1998 until 14 October 1998 from her local health centre.
She became a patient in a treatment centre on 7 October 1998 and sometime later made an application for SWA at the adjacent health centre. This was initially refused and after she was discharged on 19 November she appealed this decision. In the meantime, she was again awarded full SWA of £68.40 from her local health centre, with effect from 19 November 1998.
The appeal, heard in January 1999, was successful and the person concerned was awarded SWA at the rate of £11.80 per week in respect of the time she spent in the treatment centre.
However, on 15 December 1998 she had submitted medical certificates to my Department's disability benefit section and was awarded disability benefit at the graduated rate of £31.60 per week, backdated to 6 October 1998. As this is more beneficial to her than £11.80 per week SWA, she is not eligible for any SWA payment in respect of that period.
Arrears of disability benefit, taking account of the amount of SWA paid after 6 October 1998, have been paid to the person concerned. This included arrears of £31.60 per week in respect of the time she spent in the treatment centre.
The person concerned is currently in receipt of a total of £68.40 per week, consisting of £31.60 disability benefit and £36.80 supplementary welfare allowance.
