200,000 people on emergency welfare

ALMOST 200,000 people are in receipt of weekly emergency welfare payments which have cost at least €700 million so far this year.

Figures from the Department of Social and Family Affairs reveal that the surge in emergency welfare payments is continuing, with more than 91,000 people claiming rent supplement alone.

The emergency payments are short-term measures to help thousands out with mortgage payments and basic day-to-day needs such as food, clothing and heat.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, at the end of August this year, more than 47,000 people were in receipt of a basic weekly allowance – intended for people who have little or no income and who do not qualify for payment under other state schemes.

The cost so far this year has already exceeded what was paid out for the whole of 2008.

Add to this the 160,000 exceptional needs one-off payments which have been made so far this year, and a gloomy picture emerges of the strain on the social welfare system.

The surge in numbers claiming Mortgage Interest Supplement (MIS) is also continuing with almost 14,000 people receiving state assistance to help pay their mortgage bills.

The rise in numbers seeking the payment represents a 190% increase since the end of 2007.

Other special social welfare payments include Family Income Supplement (FIS) and Farm Assist – an income support scheme for farmers.

At the end of August this year, 25,232 people were in receipt of FIS, a weekly payment for working families on low pay, and 8,266 people were receiving Farm Assist.

According to a spokesperson for the department of Social and Family Affairs, a government review of MIS will be completed by the end of the year.

The main purpose of the review is to consider how the scheme can meet its objective of catering for those who require assistance on a short-term basis, where they are unable to meet mortgage interest repayments on their sole place of residence.

It is expected to set out guidance on specific and immediate operational issues for community welfare officers operating the scheme.

Labour spokeswoman on Social and Family Affairs Roisín Shortall, who has been leading demands for the scheme’s review, said the rules are too restrictive. She said if someone loses their job and their partner is working more than 30 hours a week they are precluded from getting any help.

“Such restrictions are resulting in people losing their homes and that is in no one’s interests. However, I would fear that they may attempt to cut back on certain aspects of the scheme and that would make no sense at all,” she said.