Supplementary Welfare Allowance

Wednesday, 10 March 2021

Questions (611)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

611. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants awarded the supplementary welfare allowance to date in 2021; the number of applications submitted by county; and the purposes for which funding was allocated. [13149/21]

View answer

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. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single exceptional needs payments (ENPs) and urgent needs payments (UNPs).

The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.

Rent supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that, for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet their rental commitments.

Under the SWA scheme, a supplement can be awarded to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. In addition, officers can make a single exceptional needs payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Decisions on ENPs and SWA supplements 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.

Statistics are maintained on the number of applications awarded under the SWA scheme. They are not maintained on the number of applications received or the outcome of those applications.

Table 1 shows the number of Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county, at end of February 2021.

Table 2 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county to end of February 2021.

Table 3 shows the number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category to end of February 2021.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Tabular Statement

Table 1 Basic SWA and supplement recipients by county at February 2021

County	Basic SWA	Rent Supplement	Other Supplements
Carlow	184	200	51
Cavan	67	213	24
Clare	92	145	387
Cork	957	2,388	87
Donegal	234	164	1,479
Dublin	4,615	10,158	100
Galway	288	851	59
Kerry	255	792	147
Kildare	408	911	78
Kilkenny	288	162	99
Laois	120	147	11
Leitrim	45	64	551
Limerick	389	505	57
Longford	69	72	58
Louth	435	174	95
Mayo	183	311	50
Meath	359	325	148
Monaghan	133	135	40
Offaly	191	74	7
Roscommon	187	132	245
Sligo	116	144	45
Tipperary	446	192	118
Waterford	315	153	79
Westmeath	156	403	122
Wexford	291	441	51
Wicklow	567	721	44
Total	11,390	19,977	4,232

Table 2 - Number of ENPs and UNPs paid by county for 2021 (end of February)

County	Number of Payments
Carlow	98
Cavan	127
Clare	206
Cork	711
Donegal	203
Dublin	2,871
Galway	188
Kerry	205
Kildare	433
Kilkenny	145
Laois	268
Leitrim	112
Limerick	325
Longford	169
Louth	254
Mayo	159
Meath	389
Monaghan	35
Offaly	114
Roscommon	110
Sligo	171
Tipperary	397
Waterford	228
Westmeath	200
Wexford	112
Wicklow	347
Total	8,577

Table 3 - Number of ENPs and UNPs paid by category for 2021 (end of February)

Category	Number of Payments
Bills	263
Child Related	326
Clothing	1,400
Funeral	440
General	2,139
Housing	3,733
Illness	215
Urgent Needs Payment	61
Total	8,577

Question No. 612 answered with Question No. 584.