Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Jun 2003

Vol. 569 No. 5

Written Answers. - Supplementary Welfare Allowance.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

18 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the total moneys paid out for supplementary welfare allowance in 2002; the breakdown of such payments for the years 1998 to 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18068/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan)

The purpose of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the health boards on behalf of my Department, is to provide a basic weekly allowance to people who have little or no income. Subject to certain conditions, every person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet his or her needs and the needs of any adult or child dependant is entitled to supplementary welfare allowance.

Apart from the basic allowance, assistance may be given in the form of supplements in respect of rent, mortgage interest, special dietary or heating needs. In addition, a health board may, where it considers it reasonable, having regard to all the circumstances of a case, make a single payment to meet an exceptional need.

Expenditure under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for 2002 was €526.9 million. A breakdown of this expenditure is given in a tabular statement prepared by my Department which I will make available to the Deputy. Expenditure under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme for the years 1998 to 2001 is set out in a further tabular statement which I will also arrange to make available to the Deputy. Total expenditure more than doubled between 1998 and 2002. It rose from just under €250 million to almost €527 million, an increase of over €277 million in that time. This represents an overall increase of 111%.

Rent supplements accounted for the largest portion of expenditure within the scheme over the period in question. In 2002, rent supplements accounted for some 48% of total supplementary welfare allowance expenditure. The number of recipients of rent supplement has risen significantly over the past 12 months while the level of rent has stabilised.

My Department is undertaking a major review of all aspects of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme at present and I will be considering any necessary changes to the scheme in light of the outcome of that review.

Expenditure under the SWA scheme 2002

	€m
Basic SWA	145.1
Rent Supplements	252.2
Mortgage Supplements	7.7
Other Supplements*	12.5
Exceptional Needs Payments	52.2
Back to School Clothing/Footwear	15.2
Administration	42.0
Total	526.9

*Other supplements include heating, diet and travel.

Expenditure under the SWA scheme 1998-2001

	1998	1999	2000	2001
	€m	€m	€m	€m
Basic SWA	50.7	68.0	88.0	13.5
Rent Supplement	111.7	128.2	150.6	179.4
Mortgage Supplement	11.5	8.2	5.9	6.3
Other Supplements*	7.1	7.6	8.4	10.4
Exceptional/Urgent Needs	27.2	28.0	30.8	41.1
Back to School Clothing/Footwear	14.9	11.4	13.6	12.8
Administration	26.5	27.7	27.7	31.9
Total	249.6	279.1	325.0	395.4

*Other supplements include heating, diet and travel.