Social Welfare Payments

Tuesday, 14 November 2023

Questions (287)

John Paul Phelan

Question:

287. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Social Protection to state for each category of welfare payment administered by her Department in 2022, the total amount paid in cash; the total amounts paid directly to a bank account; the amounts lodged directly to an account at a post office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49382/23]

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Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My Department provides two main payment options for its customers: payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer bank accounts by Electronic Fund Transfer. A small number of ad-hoc payments are also made by cheque.

Based on an analysis of Departmental systems, the table below breaks out the apportioned total value of payments made directly to customers in 2022 by payment method.

Scheme	Total	Bank Account	Post Office	Cheque
	€000	€000	€000	€000
State Pension (Non-Contributory)	1,136,457	538,448	595,213	2,796
State Pension (Contributory)	6,564,401	4,818,996	1,730,486	14,919
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Contributory)	1,725,279	1,089,722	633,715	1,842
Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Death Benefit)	10,718	5,548	5,127	43
Jobseeker's Allowance	1,641,487	641,435	982,262	17,790
One Parent Family Payment	613,977	385,242	228,636	99
Widows' Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners Pension (Non-Contributory)	12,252	7,407	4,843	0
Deserted Wife's Allowance	498	143	355	0
Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments	121,595	41,655	75,777	4,164
Farm Assist	55,665	37,137	18,348	180
Exceptional and Urgent Needs	57,664	38,260	14,099	5,305
Jobseeker's Benefit	475,459	280,625	188,539	6,295
Jobseeker's Benefit Self-Employed	10,341	5,094	5,247	0
Deserted Wife's Benefit	63,886	26,473	37,395	0
Maternity Benefit	263,300	263,007	0	293
Adoptive Benefit	202	202	0	0
Paternity Benefit	13,454	13,325	0	129
Parental Benefit	64,980	64,885	0	95
Health and Safety Benefit	387	387	0	0
Redundancy and Insolvency Payments	21,550	21,550	0	0
Covid Related Layoff Payments	1,155	1,155	0	0
Treatment Benefits	128,352	128,352	0	0
Other Working Age Supports	23,266	3,557	266	19,442
COVID-19 - Pandemic Unemployment Payment	197,202	174,718	22,482	0
Community Employment Programme	329,016	329,016	0	0
Rural Social Scheme	48,871	48,871	0	0
TUS - Community Work Placement	90,178	90,178	0	0
Job Initiative	11,865	11,865	0	0
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance	31,943	31,627	313	0
Youth Employment Support Scheme	0	0	0	0
Back to Education Allowance	40,270	37,111	3,149	10
JobsPlus	4,198	4,198	0	0
Work Placement and Experience Programme	2,588	2,028	558	0
Other Employment supports	10,596	9,905	633	0
Disability Allowance	2,015,920	1,231,794	778,926	5,200
Blind Pension	12,815	8,885	3,905	0
Carer's Allowance	993,158	676,441	314,378	2,339
Domiciliary Care Allowance	224,476	188,059	35,830	587
Carer's Support Grant	327,533	238,205	88,713	615
Illness Benefit	614,072	580,141	6,978	26,953
Injury Benefit	9,191	8,171	132	888
Invalidity Pension	765,981	645,958	119,080	943
Partial Capacity Benefit	25,717	25,441	191	85
Disablement Benefit	69,553	60,926	2,445	6,183
Medical Care	144	123	0	21
Carer's Benefit	49,175	46,676	2,489	0
COVID-19 Illness Benefit	187,110	176,771	2,126	8,213
Child Benefit	2,286,442	1,956,934	327,997	1,511
Working Family Payment	361,090	359,990	1,100	0
Back to Work Family Dividend	11,228	11,228	0	0
Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance	85,868	59,707	25,961	200
Other Vote 37 funded Child Related Payments	8,693	5,321	3,228	143
SIF Funded Child Related Payments	24,149	18,140	5,382	626
Rent Supplement	75,149	62,445	9,753	2,951
Telephone Support Allowance	18,381	13,209	5,164	0
Household Benefits Package [Vote 37 + SIF]	281,512	202,304	79,085	0
Fuel Allowance [Vote 37 + SIF]	576,402	424,986	151,416	0
Miscellaneous Services funded by Vote 37	13,964	13,055	905	0