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Social Welfare Benefits

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021

Tuesday, 7 December 2021

Ceisteanna (370)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

370. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the number and amount of supplementary welfare allowance grants in respect of kits for new homes; the number of grant applications for assistance grants in respect of kits for new homes that were refused by county over the past four years in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60233/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Applications for Exceptional Needs Payments are made under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service in my Department.

The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) scheme is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure that a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made 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.

Where a tenant cannot furnish their property from within their own resources, they can apply for an ENP to assist them. The level of furnishings and appliances required will depend on an assessment of size and nature of the proposed property, the expected level of occupancy and items already available to the customer. Every case is based on the individual circumstances/needs of the household.

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

Anyone who wishes to make an application for a payment under the SWA schemes should contact the Community Welfare Service at their local Intreo Centre. There is a national Income Support Helpline in place - 0818800024 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office.

Table 1 shows the number of payments and expenditure on ENPs for new accommodation kit-outs, per county for each year 2017 to 2020 and to date in 2021.

Table 1 - Number of Payments and Expenditure on ENPs for new accommodation kit outs 2017-2021, per county.

Payment Details

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

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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