Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2019
596. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if the application form for exceptional needs payments is available online on her Department’s website; if not, the reason for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41711/19]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.
There is no automatic entitlement to a payment under this scheme. Payments are made 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.
Customers may apply for an ENP by completing the SWA 1 form which is available on the Department’s website at the following link - http://www.welfare.ie/en/pdf/swa1.pdf. Customers who wish to apply for an ENP for assistance towards funeral expenses should complete the SWA 5 form which is also available on the Department's website at the following link - http://www.welfare.ie/en/pdf/swa5.pdf. Alternatively, forms are available in the Department’s local offices.
Applications for ENPs should be made to the Department's Community Welfare Service (CWS), contact details are available at the following link - http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/otheroffice/community-welfare-office-contact.aspx.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
