Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. These ENP payments are a vital component of the SWA scheme and link the income support function of the scheme with the wider welfare role of the Department's community welfare service.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENP's are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
A review of the guidelines on Exceptional Needs Payments is currently being finalised in the Department by a group made up of former community welfare service staff. One of the recommendations emanating from this review was the need to address the different approaches taken, in different areas, in relation to the payment of exceptional needs payments in respect of religious ceremonies and to ensure that the SWA scheme is responding to a specific financial need and not to the occasion. The Department has not cut payments in respect of religious ceremonies but has recommended a maximum amount payable with a view to limiting any such payments to those cases of significant hardship. The Department's circular does not remove or limit the discretionary powers provided to its designated officers in Social Welfarelegislation to help individuals in need.
The Department also recently clarified the circumstances under which payments should be made toward the furnishing of local authority accommodation. This clarification will not impact the customer in any way. Instead of the Department furnishing these units it will, in certain circumstances, become the responsibility of the local authority to ensure the accommodation is furnished before allocating the accommodation to the tenant.
One of the most important aspects of a poverty proofing strategy is the process whereby Government Departments, local authorities and state agencies ensure that they either contribute to reducing poverty or, at least, do not increase poverty. An additional prime consideration is the re-focusing of expenditure to meet those most in need and this is what my Department is doing.