Operational Guidelines: SWA - Exceptional Needs Payments

The Additional Needs Payment is an overarching term for certain payments under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme including the Exceptional Needs Payment. The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment is to assist people with once-off expenditure which is exceptional and which is not necessarily unforeseen and cannot be met from any other source, and given the circumstances of the case, they could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their normal weekly income.

Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or Health Service Executive payment. However, there is no automatic entitlement to Exceptional Needs Payments.

The decision process for an Exceptional Needs Payment involves consideration of the need presented and the ability of the person and their household to meet that need. This entails an assessment, as opposed to a specific means test, of an applicant’s weekly household income, their savings and investments, their outgoings and the type of assistance needed. Other State supports that may already be available to the person are also considered.

Normally persons in full-time education, full-time employment, or directly involved in a trade dispute are not eligible for an Exceptional Needs Payment . However, people directly involved in a trade dispute may apply for an Exceptional Needs Payment for a dependent adult or dependent child.

Where someone has capital resources, or the availability to access alternative resources sufficient to meet the need, it would be expected that they provide for the need from that source.

Assistance may be provided for items such as bedding or cooking utensils for someone setting up a home for the first time, costs in relation to funerals, visiting relatives in hospital, or for clothing in exceptional circumstances.

There is no set 'rate of payment'. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, considering the requirements of the legislation, and all the relevant circumstances of the case to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.