Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
508. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of applications for exceptional needs payments in the past three years to date; the numbers pending, refused and successful in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25006/23]
View answerUnder the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary.
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.
The reporting of this scheme was revised in 2022 to extract more complete information in relation to registrations and refusals and to include reoccurring supplements in the overarching term of an Additional Needs Payment.
Table 1 provides the number of ANPs registered for 2022 and 2023. Statistics are not available on applications received for 2021.
Table 2 provides the number of ANPs awarded for 2022 and 2023. It also includes the number of ANPs excluding reoccurring supplements, awarded for 2021.
During the period 2022 to end of March 2023, 21,970 claims have been disallowed.
At the end of March 2023, there were 6,383 claims pending.
I encourage any person who considers they may have an entitlement to contact their local community welfare service. There is a National Community Welfare Contact Centre in place - 0818-607080 - which will direct callers to the appropriate office. In addition, applications can be made online via www.mywelfare.ie.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
Table 1: The number of ANPs registered for 2022 and 2023 (to end of March).
|
Year |
Claims Registered |
|
2022 |
146,569 |
|
2023 (to end of March) |
35,260 |
Table 2 : The number of ANPs awarded for 2022 and 2023. The number of ANPs excluding reoccurring supplements awarded for 2021.
|
Year |
Claims Awarded |
|
2021 |
55,552 (excludes supplements) |
|
2022 |
97,224 |
|
2023 (to end of March) |
23,751 |
