Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2587. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the amount spent on exceptional needs payments and urgent needs payments, respectively, in each of the past ten years; the amount projected for 2018 for each; the number of claims in each year; the breakdown for ENPs and UNPs of the type of payment it was used for in 2017 and to date in 2018, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35244/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2588. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she is satisfied with the accessibility and availability of the community welfare service; if there is a dedicated person available in each Intreo and social welfare office during opening hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35245/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2587 and 2588 together.
The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is demand led and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes.
Under the SWA scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) 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) is a once-off payment made to persons who may not normally qualify for SWA but who have an urgent need which they cannot meet from their own resources or an alternative is not available at that time. The Government has provided over €36 million for these payments in 2018.
There is no automatic entitlement to an ENP, it is payable at the discretion of the Department’s representative, 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.
Statistics are maintained relating to payments under the ENP scheme, however they are not maintained on the number of applications or the outcome of those applications. Table 1 contains the number of ENP/UNP payments and expenditure on the scheme in the past 10 years. Table 2 contains a breakdown of the categories of payments in 2017 and to end-June 2018.
The Department has re-engineered its business model to support the provision of integrated services across all business streams involved in the delivery of localised services. As part of this strategy, the Department is engaged in the delivery of integrated Intreo centres, which provide a full range of services, including the Community Welfare Service (CWS), generally available in one location.
People claiming supports under the SWA scheme generally only interact with the Department on an occasional basis, for example, when seeking an ENP or in claiming additional supports such as rent supplement. The availability of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) during normal office hours is therefore sufficient for general day to day requirements. However, in response to emergency situations such as those caused by severe weather events, local management assesses the response required to ensure that supports are provided to those affected as swiftly as possible. This may include provision of emergency or out of hours services and may be supplemented by facilitating clients with individual appointments and making house calls.
Any persons who consider that they have an entitlement to assistance under the SWA scheme should contact my Department. I can assure the Deputy that the SWA scheme is kept under review to ensure that the CWS continues to support those most in need of assistance.
Table 1. ENPs and UNPs 2008-2018: Number of Payments and Expenditure
|
Year |
No. of Payments |
Expenditure |
|
2008 |
260,000 |
€82.2m |
|
2009 |
239,000 |
€75.2m |
|
2010 |
218,000 |
€69.4 m |
|
2011 |
226,000 |
€62.6m |
|
2012 |
197,500 |
€52.7m |
|
2013 |
133,000 |
€35.7m |
|
2014 |
107,100 |
€30.1m |
|
2015 |
101,600 |
€31.0m |
|
2016 |
100,100 |
€32.2m |
|
2017 |
103,500 |
€38.1m |
|
2018 (to end June) |
50,600 |
€18.6m |
Table 2. ENPs and UNPs 2017-2018: Number of Payments by Category
|
Number of payments |
||
|
Category |
2017 |
2018( to end June) |
|
Housing |
||
|
New Accommodation Kit |
9,119 |
4,041 |
|
Household Appliances |
7,872 |
3,479 |
|
Rent Deposit |
2,997 |
1,332 |
|
Furniture |
2,544 |
1,103 |
|
Floor Covering |
1,694 |
845 |
|
Bedding |
2,910 |
1,246 |
|
Repair/Maintenance |
1,422 |
642 |
|
Total Housing |
28,558 |
12,688 |
|
Clothing |
||
|
Adult Clothing |
15,462 |
7,635 |
|
Child Clothing |
1,568 |
783 |
|
Total Clothing |
17,030 |
8,418 |
|
Funeral |
||
|
Funeral Expenses |
2,727 |
1,494 |
|
Burial Expenses |
59 |
39 |
|
Total Funeral |
2,786 |
1,533 |
|
Child Related |
||
|
Pram/Buggy |
1,936 |
860 |
|
Cot |
2,034 |
926 |
|
Total Child Related |
3,970 |
1,786 |
|
Bills |
||
|
Rent/Mortgage Interest Arrears |
2,308 |
976 |
|
Household |
894 |
600 |
|
Total Bills |
3,202 |
1,576 |
|
Illness |
||
|
Confinement Costs |
1,769 |
885 |
|
Hospital Requirements |
1,021 |
453 |
|
Total Illness |
2,790 |
1,338 |
|
General |
||
|
Travel Costs |
18,646 |
10,163 |
|
Insufficient Means |
7,128 |
3,242 |
|
Heating |
2,142 |
1,200 |
|
Lost/Stolen Money |
777 |
370 |
|
Household Budget |
311 |
181 |
|
Other |
15,820 |
7,961 |
|
Total General |
44,824 |
23,117 |
|
Urgent Needs Payments |
294 |
83 |
|
Totals |
103,454 |
50,539 |
