The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The Government has provided over €70 million for basic supplementary welfare allowance in 2015. There are currently approximately 16,800 basic supplementary welfare allowance recipients.
Statistics are not available on the number of SWA applications received or the outcome of those applications.
Details of the number of recipients of basic SWA are provided in the Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report that is published annually by the Department. This data has been collated in the tabular statement provided, which provides details of the numbers of basic SWA recipients for the years 2010-2014 and to the end of August 2015, broken down by county and by category.
Details of the number of basic SWA appeals and the outcome of those appeals are being collated and will be forwarded separately to the Deputy.
Tabular Statement
Table 1 - Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance recipients by County 2010 to 2015
|
County
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015 (end Aug)
|
|
Carlow
|
540
|
526
|
504
|
329
|
296
|
294
|
|
Cavan
|
535
|
369
|
325
|
258
|
198
|
184
|
|
Clare
|
495
|
448
|
457
|
292
|
284
|
129
|
|
Cork
|
3,661
|
3,535
|
3,765
|
2,778
|
2,450
|
1,949
|
|
Donegal
|
1,119
|
1,045
|
769
|
529
|
433
|
461
|
|
Dublin
|
10,688
|
10,009
|
8,638
|
6,197
|
5,748
|
5,440
|
|
Galway
|
2,446
|
2,153
|
1,995
|
1,286
|
1,020
|
754
|
|
Kerry
|
776
|
723
|
864
|
549
|
473
|
333
|
|
Kildare
|
1,685
|
1,459
|
1,495
|
965
|
796
|
637
|
|
Kilkenny
|
544
|
531
|
640
|
476
|
421
|
375
|
|
Laois
|
620
|
557
|
591
|
508
|
405
|
295
|
|
Leitrim
|
122
|
136
|
126
|
112
|
113
|
103
|
|
Limerick
|
1,595
|
1,757
|
1,818
|
1,227
|
962
|
681
|
|
Longford
|
432
|
270
|
320
|
217
|
170
|
154
|
|
Louth
|
1,066
|
966
|
988
|
749
|
646
|
587
|
|
Mayo
|
1,148
|
1,129
|
948
|
617
|
459
|
448
|
|
Meath
|
2,614
|
2,024
|
1,588
|
953
|
860
|
576
|
|
Monaghan
|
335
|
289
|
279
|
273
|
298
|
215
|
|
Offaly
|
371
|
448
|
385
|
240
|
229
|
202
|
|
Roscommon
|
983
|
759
|
542
|
313
|
236
|
233
|
|
Sligo
|
581
|
596
|
581
|
608
|
400
|
295
|
|
Tipperary
|
1,073
|
1,018
|
1,013
|
853
|
732
|
700
|
|
Waterford
|
1,134
|
1,000
|
1,112
|
776
|
647
|
467
|
|
Westmeath
|
610
|
604
|
560
|
444
|
350
|
298
|
|
Wexford
|
1,542
|
1,410
|
1,354
|
1,042
|
712
|
517
|
|
Wicklow
|
784
|
836
|
701
|
536
|
460
|
494
|
|
Total
|
37,499
|
34,597
|
32,358
|
23,127
|
19,798
|
16,821
|
Note: Recipients of Direct Provision Allowance were included in basic SWA recipient statistics until 2014. They are reported separately in 2015.
Table 2 - Recipients of Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments by Category 2010 - 2015:
|
-
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015 (end Aug)
|
|
Interim Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pending State Pension
|
201
|
208
|
199
|
199
|
214
|
295
|
|
Pending Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Pension
|
85
|
80
|
65
|
57
|
96
|
72
|
|
Pending Jobseeker's Allowance
|
12,935
|
10,154
|
7,805
|
3,463
|
2,292
|
2,155
|
|
Pending Jobseeker's Allowance Appeal
|
1,558
|
976
|
668
|
327
|
206
|
114
|
|
Pending One- Parent Family Payment
|
3,291
|
2,750
|
2,291
|
1,518
|
816
|
811
|
|
Pending Jobseeker's Benefit
|
1,062
|
704
|
482
|
165
|
103
|
87
|
|
Pending Jobseeker's Benefit Appeal
|
33
|
17
|
15
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
|
Pending Disability Allowance
|
5,401
|
6,455
|
6,978
|
5,856
|
4,619
|
4,215
|
|
Pending Carer's Allowance
|
361
|
504
|
633
|
355
|
388
|
389
|
|
Pending Illness Benefit
|
1,731
|
1,630
|
1,377
|
1,089
|
1005
|
983
|
|
Pending Illness Benefit Appeal
|
198
|
203
|
157
|
103
|
54
|
57
|
|
Pending Injury Benefit
|
42
|
30
|
50
|
33
|
50
|
38
|
|
Pending Other Social Welfare Payments
|
393
|
1,640
|
2,323
|
1,094
|
927
|
743
|
|
Sub-Total
|
27,291
|
25,351
|
23,043
|
14,269
|
10,774
|
9,963
|
|
Other Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sick No Benefit
|
3,247
|
3,318
|
3,887
|
3,745
|
3,926
|
4,006
|
|
Other(1)
|
6,961
|
5,928
|
5,428
|
5,113
|
5,098
|
2,852
|
|
Sub-Total
|
10,208
|
9,246
|
9,315
|
8,858
|
9,024
|
6,858
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
37,499
|
34,597
|
32,358
|
23,127
|
19,798
|
16,821
|
Note(1) This category includes payments to persons who do not qualify for other social welfare payments and whose means are below the appropriate rate of SWA. The category “Other” includes direct provision allowance recipients until 2014.
