Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024
440. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Social Protection what the average wait time for an additional needs payment application is; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10206/24]
View answerUnder the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANPs) to help meet expenses that an eligible person cannot pay from their weekly income. The ANP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the Designated Persons (DPs) in the CWS 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.Work on hand for ANPs is within the scheme's normal processing levels and fully completed applications, where the required documentation is supplied, are processed generally within ten days. Where it is clear that a person has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the claim is processed on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response. They have the facility to issue an immediate manual cheque payment to clients and approximately 19% of clients who present to CWOs in person each week receive a payment on the day that they attend.
When considering an application from people in financial difficulty for any payment under the SWA scheme, the DP must consider all of the relevant circumstances when examining a case in determining the most appropriate scheme type and level of assistance required. The DP may ask for a number of supporting documents to ensure the customer receives a level of payment appropriate to their needs. Where an application cannot be finalised promptly, the delay is normally due to the need for additional information or documentation and the time it takes for the information to be provided. Upon receipt of this information, the application is then processed quickly. The CWS is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
