Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
747. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the cost of increasing eligibility thresholds for supplementary welfare allowance by 10%, 20%, 30% respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36763/23]
View answerThe supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) 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 dependents.
Under the SWA scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANPs) to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income or from other personal and household resources. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements.
All of the relevant circumstances of the case are taken into consideration by an officer of the community welfare service when deciding the level of support required. The decision process involves consideration of the nature of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need. This entails an assessment of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.
The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently receiving a social welfare payment or working on a low income.
The household income amounts published in relation to ANPs are not an eligibility threshold, but are intended as a guide to assist persons who may find themselves in financial difficulty and require assistance with essential expenses.
Guidelines issued to staff administering the scheme assist them in the decision making process and ensure consistency of service. However, they do not affect the discretion available to officers in issuing an additional needs payment to assist an individual or household in any particular hardship situation which may arise.
An additional needs payment amount, which can have a wide range value, will depend on a person’s weekly household income, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed.
For the reasons outlined above, It is not possible to provide an estimated cost of increasing eligibility thresholds for additional needs payments by 10%, 20% and 30% as assistance can be provided in all cases where the need cannot be met from existing resources.
Any person who considers they may have an entitlement to Supplementary Welfare Allowance 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. In addition, applications for ANPs can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
