Ukrainian refugees in Ireland - Megathread

It does pay for car repairs.

• essential repairs to property, including motor vehicles and replacing household appliances and furniture

No its not. Its informing the local authorities that a citizen is being made to feel uncomfortable within his own sanctuary. He has every single right to inform them of it and for them to document it. This is a Republic. That is what the Gardai are there for. Any Garda will tell you the exact same thing.

What an Additional Needs Payment is

An Additional Needs Payment is a payment available to you if you have expenses that you cannot pay from your weekly income.

You may get this payment even if you are not getting a social welfare payment. It also may be available to you if you are working and on a low income.

We can provide Additional Needs Payments for:

• the increased cost of fuel and electricity
• essential repairs to property, including motor vehicles and replacing household appliances and furniture
• assistance with deposits for private rented accommodation
• furniture, bedding and other items if you are setting up a home for the first time
• funeral costs
• recurring travel expenses such as for hospital appointments or visiting relatives in hospital or prison
• food, clothing or shelter in the aftermath of a fire, flood or other emergency event
• other additional exceptional needs as they happen

Additional Needs Payments are paid under Supplementary Welfare Allowance and is administered by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the department.

Repairing a car

Ivan and Niamh apply for assistance to cover the cost of repairing the car.

They have 2 children. Ivan works 32 hours per week with household income of €630 per week. They have normal weekly outgoings of €610 per week for rent, utility bills, food, credit union loan, miscellaneous car expenses. Their car breaks down and they have received a quote of €1,200 (parts and labour) to repair it. The car is required for transport to and from work and taking children to and from school.

The couple have applied to the credit union for a top up loan which has been refused. The couple have €250 in savings and an outstanding loan of €2,100 with the credit union.

Income and expensesAmountHousehold income€630 per weekHousehold outgoings€610 per weekDisposable income€20 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer assists the couple with an Additional Needs Payment of €1,200.

Repairing a boiler

Sean applies for assistance to cover the cost of repairing the boiler.

Sean is a single parent with 3 school going children who works 30 hours per week in a local Supermarket. He has household income of €700 per week. The family's normal weekly outgoings are €650 per week for utility bills, loan repayments, food, miscellaneous car expenses and shopping.

The boiler in their house has broken down and they have been quoted €1,500 to replace the necessary parts and labour. Sean has savings of €250, which he intended to use for a refill of oil.

Income and expensesAmountHousehold income€700 per weekHousehold outgoings€650 per weekDisposable income€50 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer awards an Additional Needs Payment of €1,450.

Electricity bills

Roman applies for assistance in meeting an increase in electricity bills.

Roman is a person with Multiple Sclerosis getting Disability Allowance and he is having difficulty meeting his electricity bills following recent unit cost increases. The monthly energy costs have risen by €40. He is unable to reduce the energy usage due to his medical condition and he does not have any disposable income to cover it.

Income and expensesAmountHousehold income€208 per weekHousehold outgoings€208 per weekDisposable income€0 per week

Decision: In the circumstances, the Community Welfare Officer awards a Heating Supplement at €40 per month. In the event that the energy costs increase further, the Officer can increase the Heating Supplement payment to reflect same.

Filling an oil tank

Siobhan applies for assistance to fill the oil tank at a cost of €700.

Siobhan is a single parent with 4 children and has noticed an increase in the cost of everyday items including food and utility bills. Their household income is €368 per week. Her weekly outgoings are €350 - €368 per week. Previously, she had managed to put some money aside (€20 per week) towards a fill of heating oil but this has not been possible for many weeks.

The oil tank is empty and she cannot afford to get it filled. One of her children has a condition that requires the house to be heated permanently.

Income and expensesAmountHousehold income€368 per weekHousehold outgoings€368 per weekDisposable income€0 per week

Decision: The Community Welfare Officer awards an Additional Needs Payment of €700 to cover the cost of the oil refill. As the child’s medical condition requires the house to be heated permanently, the Officer also provides Siobhan with heat supplement of €30 per week to assist in meeting the ongoing cost associated with it.

Indeed, I hope the poor fella doesn't have any cash lying around the house.

2010 DSP Annual Stats Report

See Table H3 on Exceptional Needs Payments.

Pram/Buggy expenditure = 1,143,000

It is absolutely true that the DSP make payments towards buggies.

I think the funniest one is "lost money" = 168,000.

A DSP official told me of clients who would collect their payment in Westside, Galway, and then five mins later, go to the CWO saying they lost money!!

The CWO would pay out. Great country.

To be fair, he told me they stopped doing that eventually.

The Gardai will have it recorded officially and that is what matters. Same as when any other vulnerable person is being made feel uncomfortable through any other sort of confrontational situation being played out within their own sanctuary and home. What's your problem?

A free gaff, over 40,000 a year plus expenses and free healthcare.. 😂🤣

And I suppose you think it pays for electric bike repairs too.

There's a very, very important word used in all DSP communication and statements

MAY (not the month)

Saying you may get something does not mean you will get something and as I've pointed out , not as straightforward as our politicians would have us believe, to suggest people can just go to a DSP centre and ask politely for a dig out is preposterous. Notwithstanding the paperwork and appointment required.

Seriously 2010 stats 🙄

The DSP and how it operates has utterly changed since 2010 , there are no handouts , No CWO's in the community (They've a different title, based only at DSP centres and appointment necessary)

Admittedly what when on in 2010 and in previous years was extraordinary but there is absolutely no more free money or handouts nor a magic money Tree (The way it should be)

The exceptional needs payment could actually be called

"Exceptionally Difficult Payment to Get" Hence the reason why thousands of people are now reliant of food banks and various charities.

How are you calculating €98 per adult per week 🤔 there are 2 Adults and 6 children, taking children's allowance out of the equation there's €600 per week for two adults. Taking children's allowance into consideration, I work out there's actually a per person income of approx €173 per week , I'd suggest that extraordinarily generous with no rent to pay 🤔

Yes, the payments did fall from 2010 to 2014:

I think you need to read back on what you actually said.

"The payment as its described is an exceptional needs payment and certainly does not pay towards car repairs."

But you can get repairs to your car paid. I am not not saying whether it's easy or hard get the payment, but you said you can't get a car repaired and the official website says in black and white that you can apply for such payment.

Again and as I've explained, saying one thing and getting another are two very different things.

It's all well a good for the DSP to post on their website a list of things you MAY get, this advisory (and that's all it is) was only updated when government came under flak with the cost of living crisis. I can perhaps see an exceptional payment made in a situation were say a Mum needs to drop kids off the school or attend medical appoints and car needs urgent repairs but again that mum will have to produce reams of paperwork, proof or not of earnings, bank statements, details of partners income etc.

So I'll accept my wording was incorrect and I'll grant you that.

The over all point I'm making, is and despite various ministers saying otherwise, it is not as straightforward as portrayed.

Fair enough, I don't know if its easy or hard get a payment, but I was bemused the other day that there was an ad on the radio the actually explaining to people that they can apply for stuff and a website name was given.

If it has been difficult to get in recent years I wouldn't be surprised at all if the budget goes from €X million to €10x million shortly due to the cost of living situation.