Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary.
An exceptional needs Payment (ENP) is a single payment to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to persons who may not normally qualify for supplementary welfare allowance but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or where an alternative is not available at that time.
The 30 hour rule is not applicable to all additional needs payments. Where someone works above the 30 hour limit, the urgent needs payment is appropriate, as it is not limited to those working less than 30 hours. Urgent needs payments can be made on a flexible basis, taking into account all the relevant circumstances of the person, and without the 30 hour limit applying.
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 in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.
The scheme is demand led. The Government has provided funding of €45.75 million for the provision of exceptional and urgent needs that are provided for as Additional Needs Payment in 2022. A further provision of €5.3 million has been provided for SWA Supplements in 2022 (excluding rent supplement).
Table 1 shows the number of ENP/UNP applications received/awarded to-date in 2022 (end of June).
This represents a snapshot of claim activity taken at 4th July 2022 and is subject to change. The figures do not capture payments that are cancelled, payments that go out of date or overpayments recouped.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to an additional needs payment is encouraged to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
TABLE 1 – Number of ENP/UNP applications received/awarded to-date in 2022 (to end of June)
|
Year
|
Received
|
Awarded
|
|
2022 (to end of June)
|
40,718
|
36,987
|
