Welfare diet scheme to be scrapped
A new scheme for people on social welfare diet supplements is to be drawn up after a study found that food costs varied by up to 60% between corner shops and supermarkets.
There are approximately 11,750 people currently receiving diet supplements at an annual cost of over €6m to the Exchequer.
The supplements are paid to people who have been prescribed a special diet but cannot afford it within their normal weekly income.
If the cost of the special diet is more than one third of the person’s income, a diet supplement is paid to make up the difference.
The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) today published the first cost review of healthy eating and specialised diets since 1996.
Social Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan said he recognised that not everybody was in a position to do their shopping at the cheapest shops.
“For this reason I intend to base the new diet supplement scheme at the highest pricing structure – food costs at convenience stores – in order to protect the position of those who cannot shop around because of location, age, health or for other reasons,” he said.
The study covered the different cost and availability of healthy foods and recommended changes to the system.
Report author, Dr Muireann Cullen said that average weekly food costs in some cases are almost 60% more in convenience stores than in the large low-cost stores.
Diet supplement payments are currently provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE) on behalf of the Social and Family Affairs Department.
The survey showed that a person on the lowest social welfare income could meet the full cost of the most expensive prescribed special diet for less than one third of their income if they shopped at one of the large multiples like Tesco, Dunnes Stores or Lidl.
The study found:
:: The typical actual additional cost of a special diet is between 3 euro and 8 euro per week, depending on the type of diet concerned and on the type of shop or supermarket in which people normally buy their groceries;
:: There are a number of diets which currently attract a diet supplement but which do not result in extra costs to the individual over and above the cost of a normal, healthy eating diet
:: Some existing diets are no longer relevant, in the light of the latest dietary and medical views, while other conditions warrant special diets at some higher cost.
The study said that prescribed diets would fall into one of four categories: Gluten Free Diet, Low Lactose Milk Free Diet, High Protein High Calorie Diet and Liquidised Altered Consistency Diet.
Mr Brennan said the research work had provided a solid, up-to date basis for calculating the level of diet supplement payment needed to achieve his determined view that nobody should have to spend more than one third of their income on their prescribed diet.
Minister Brennan added: “This study is the first update of the needs of those on specialised diets undertaken since 1996.
“It modernises the requirements in this special area by taking account of emerging trends in this whole area and also looks at the advantages and opportunities of competitive consumer targeted pricing structures.
The minister’s officials will be studying the results closely and introducing a revised supplement system soon.
The study shows that convenience stores are the most expensive places to buy food while the large low-cost stores offer the best prices for food. It also shows that a person on the lowest social welfare income could meet the full cost of the most expensive prescribed special diet for less than one third of their income if they shopped at one of the large low-cost stores.
Minister Brennan said he recognised that not everybody is in a position to do their shopping at the cheapest shops.
“For that reason, I intend to base the new diet supplement scheme on the food costs at convenience stores in order to protect the position of -those who cannot shop around because of location, age or for whatever reason. In addition to improving the diet supplement scheme, I also want to ensure that other social welfare recipients can afford a healthy-eating diet. The record increases in weekly social welfare payment rates I introduced earlier this month help achieve that.
“They provide a substantial real increase after fully compensating for inflation and as a result, a healthy-eating diet is now more affordable than before”.
