John Bruton
Question:63 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether the household budgeting facility, to help social welfare recipients in managing household bills, is yet available in County Meath.
Vol. 438 No. 1
63 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Social Welfare whether the household budgeting facility, to help social welfare recipients in managing household bills, is yet available in County Meath.
The household budgeting scheme is a free service operated on behalf of Social Welfare customers by An Post. People receiving unemployment payments can authorise An Post to deduct regular amounts towards various household bills from their weekly unemployment payments. An Post pays the amounts deducted to the appropriate organisations.
Household budgeting has been designed as an aid to managing household finances for those who wish to avail of it. A person may choose to pay regular contributions to any of the following utilities — ESB, Bord Gais, local authority rents and mortgages and Telecom Éireann. Total deductions cannot exceed 25 per cent of a person's net weekly unemployment payments.
Deductions made in this regular way help such customers to cope with ongoing expenses and in clearing arrears. This scheme will also assist in reducing the recourse to moneylenders.