Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications

Wednesday, 18 September 2013

Questions (635)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

635. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection if there has been an increase in the number of applicants refused social welfare assistance while waiting for their application for another scheme to be processed; if she will provide figures on the number of applications for SWA granted and refused for each month for the past two years. [37803/13]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The Government has provided approximately €718 million for the various SWA schemes in 2013. Basic weekly SWA may be payable to customers awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment. The following is a tabular statement outlining the number of basic weekly SWA claims awarded and disallowed in 2011 and 2012. While the overall number of applications refused has decreased from a total of 4,344 in 2011 to 4,058 in 2012, the percentage of refused claims in relation to those awarded represents approximately 5% in both years.

Tabular Statement

Table 1: Number of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims awarded and disallowed by month for 2011.

Month	Number Awarded	Number Disallowed
January	7,218	322
February	7,882	435
March	7,307	387
April	8,716	319
May	7,004	347
June	8,181	332
July	10,130	430
August	7,084	429
September	9,521	385
October	7,695	329
November	7,003	319
December	7,486	310
Total	95,227	4,344

Table 2: Number of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance claims awarded and disallowed by month for 2012.

Month	Number Awarded	Number Disallowed
January	6,562	337
February	7,127	380
March	8,199	384
April	6,228	287
May	6,296	339
June	8,963	322
July	7,140	373
August	8,015	330
September	6,899	302
October	7,027	359
November	7,596	394
December	5,069	251
Total	85,121	4,058