The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for exceptional needs payments to assist with essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not meet reasonably out of his or her household income or other resources. In general, however, it is expected that people would budget their own income to meet the cost of their normal clothing requirements without the need for special assistance under this scheme.
The southern area of the executive has advised that it has no record of a recent application for an exceptional needs payment from the person concerned. However, he did apply to the then health board in June 2004 for an exceptional needs payment to assist with clothing costs. This application was refused on the grounds that there were no special circumstances in his case at that time to warrant an exceptional payment to him. He was unsuccessful in appealing against this decision subsequently to the health board's area appeals officer.
If the person concerned is experiencing special difficulties or needs now and wishes to apply for an exceptional needs payment, he should contact the community welfare officer at his local health centre who will assess his situation and determine his entitlement.