The objective of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, is to provide assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their basic needs.
In addition to a basic weekly allowance, assistance may be provided in the form of supplements which may be paid in respect of needs such as rent, mortgage interest, diet or special heating requirements or in any other case where it appears to the executive that the circumstances of the case so warrant.
A single payment can also be made to meet an exceptional need or in urgent situations. Such payments are made at the discretion of the executive taking into account the particular circumstances of a case.
Details of the numbers of recipients are summarised in the following table:
Number of Recipients of Supplementary Welfare Allowance at 11 February 2005.
|
Recipients
|
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance
|
30,048
|
Supplement in respect of:
|
|
Rent
|
57,714
|
Mortgage Interest
|
3,283
|
Diet
|
2,514
|
Heating
|
3,205
|
Other
|
3,980
|
Exceptional/Urgent Needs Payment
|
4,627
|
Total
|
115,371
|
*Includes interim payments to applicants for other social welfare schemes.