Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 October 2021

Wednesday, 20 October 2021

Ceisteanna (171)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

171. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who applied for an exceptional needs payment to assist with funeral expenses in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021, by county in tabular form. [51696/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Social Protection

Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. 

An ENP is a means tested payment payable at the discretion of the officers 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.

An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where there is an inability to pay these costs, in part or in full, by the family of the deceased person without causing hardship. 

In addition, my Department may provide for the burial of a person who has died and in respect of whose burial suitable arrangements are not otherwise being made. In such cases, my Department may meet all expenses necessarily incurred in the burial of a person. 

Statistics are maintained on the number of applications awarded under the SWA scheme.  They are not maintained on the number of applications received or the outcome of those applications.

The tabular statement below shows the number of ENPs paid by county for funeral and burial expenses in each of the years 2018 to 2020 and to date in 2021

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.  

Tabular Statement: Number of ENPs paid by county for funeral and burial expenses in the years 2018 to 2021 (end of September)

County	2018	2019	2020	2021
CARLOW	43	36	35	21
CAVAN	23	34	39	13
CLARE	39	43	43	34
CORK	245	211	234	191
DONEGAL	98	101	89	51
DUBLIN	1,156	1,131	1,050	676
GALWAY	75	97	78	44
KERRY	59	69	60	29
KILDARE	108	117	109	79
KILKENNY	59	51	38	41
LAOIS	44	55	71	29
LEITRIM	19	16	16	13
LIMERICK	116	125	91	72
LONGFORD	34	48	32	31
LOUTH	121	92	105	82
MAYO	57	46	63	29
MEATH	78	67	70	73
MONAGHAN	18	21	38	15
OFFALY	42	49	48	40
ROSCOMMON	32	36	37	30
SLIGO	35	33	35	28
TIPPERARY	95	121	106	58
WATERFORD	66	70	58	46
WESTMEATH	61	73	61	61
WEXFORD	60	62	41	32
WICKLOW	98	101	131	63
Total	2,881	2,905	2,778	1,881

Note: These figures are taken from the Department’s ENP database and represent a snapshot of the ENPs as they are approved by an officer rather than when they are paid.  Please note the figures do not capture payments that are cancelled, payments that go out of date or overpayments recouped.