Ireland and the Minimum Income Guarantee - Combat Poverty Agency

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Detailed Descriptions of the Existing Schemes skills of the unemployed especially in remote/small communities, the Vocational Training Opportunity Scheme which aims to enhance the education and skills of the long-term unemployed, and a variety of schemes supporting community enterprise and development. A Local Employment Service to provide guidance, counselling, training and job placement for the long-term unemployed is also to be put in place. The Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme and the Back to Work Allowance operated by the Department of Social Welfare, already described, are also aimed at promoting reintegration of the unemployed into the labour force. The Cost The average weekly amount paid to UA recipients in 1994 was ±73.60. (In this case the average number of recipients in the year is published so the average paid per recipient can be calculated rather than estimated). Annual expenditure by the Department of Social Welfare on UA was as follows: 36 £ m. 1980 81.710 !981 108.846 !982 168.751 !983 224.066 1984 291.770 !985 351.458 1986 391.538 !987 415.370 1988 440.049 19 «9 483.470 19 90 522.030 !991 602.333 1992 719.379 93 788.710 W4 799.518 The Number of Recipients and Beneficiaries The total number of recipients of UA (including the small number of smallholders who receive UA) at the end of 1994 was 206,529. The total number of beneficiaries, including dependent adults and children, at that date was 450,519. Information on Recipients and Beneficiaries Administrative information is published annually on: • number of recipients at end-year • number of beneficiaries, end-year • number of adult dependants of recipients, end-year • number of child dependants of recipients, end-year • recipients categorised by number of adult and child dependants, end-year • number of recipients at each end-month • expenditure in calendar year on scheme. This information is published by the Department of Social Welfare in "Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services" and is freely available. Data is also published on the number of new UA claims awarded. No information is published about the characteristics of those entering/leaving. In addition, information is published by the Central Statistics Office, based on those on the Live Register, which would include most but not all UA recipients. This information includes the number of UA claimants on the register at each end-month, and twice yearly UA claimants categorised by age and duration of unemployment. Figures showing total flows on to and off the Live Register (which includes both recipients of Unemployment Benefit and Assistance) are also published. The CSO also publish the total amount expended on UA each month. Information is available from the representative Household Budget Surveys carried out by the CSO every seven years and from the 1987 37
Detailed Descriptions of the Existing Schemes ESRI survey: see corresponding section in description of OAP (above). Other once-off small-scale surveys focusing on the unemployed have been carried out from time to time and have been the basis for reports and academic studies. There is no regular representative survey to enable changes in the situation of the unemployed/recipients of UA to be monitored. Take-up, Coverage, Work Incentives and Administrative Issues The extent of non-take-up of Social Assistance schemes has been rh S ° n ^ baSiS ° f thC re P resentativ e national sample obtained by me toKI m 1987. The results (see Callan, Nolan et al 1989, Chapter 10) suggested that there was some non-take up of UA. Where 11.8% of all oenerit units" in the sample appeared to have incomes below the SWA rate tor a family of their size/composition, 14% of these appeared to be 3 7 ^\ a n d not in re ceipt or in receipt of less than what appeared to be their hill entitlement. The extent of non-take-up is diffi- Sa ^" leaSUr^With PreCiSi ° n f ° r reasons disc^ed in the corresponded rh 011 The ^ f " ^ chara «eristics of the individuals involved meernar 50115 -,^11011 "^-" 13 have not been stu died. Individuals not itY famTfe 2 f ° r W ° rk Criterion whether ' because of illness or ramdy respons.bilities etc. are excluded from eligibility. hs 0 hin h e 0 enrm h ° "* ^ ^ ** C ° mplex means test Solved in estabas a dis",' T m ^ C ' maj ° r considera »on. Not only might it act "stiLa ZT tW V° P r ° SpeCtiVe a PP licants b e c a^ of "hassle" or takerTLo t ** COm P licated way in which capital assets are uTte the likerh Unt H me r S that P6 ° ple "^ not be wel1 P'-ed to evalmayabobt so they apply. There feCeiVin8 Payment should abOUt Kd memt s T T " ^ h W the incomes ° * «her houselet ProvSon wh 1° ^ ^ thr °^h the W * and priviincLded aTme ans ^ ^ *"*"* "** ° f b ° ard and are ^ eTranlTnt^H- **" T * "*** C °" Cern in ** case of UA. an earmngs disregard of *i 5 per day, plus the daily rate of 38 Unemployment Assistance for each day worked for those insurably employed on one, two or three days per week. Those on long-term UA can also take up part-time work and be paid a fixed income supplement in addition to their earnings, instead of UA, under the Part-time Job Incentive Scheme, and the Back to Work scheme allows some of those taking up full-time employment to keep their payments for a time (as described earlier). The main problems with the administration of the scheme relate to the implementation of the means test and the availability for work condition. More stringent measures have been implemented in recent years to ensure that claimants are genuinely available for and seeking work, involving inter alia special in-depth interviews. Scheme: Widow's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Deserted Wife's Allowance, Lone Parent's Allowance, Prisoner's Wife's Allowance, Orphan's (Non-Contributory) Pension General Information Non-contributory means-tested pensions for widows and for orphans were introduced in 1935 at the same time as contributory Social Insurance schemes for the same groups. Deserted Wife's Allowance was introduced in 1970, Unmarried Mothers Allowance in 1973, and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance in 1974. In 1990 the Lone Parent's Allowance scheme primarily involved amalgamating and harmonising treatment of lone parents under these schemes, while those without child dependants continue to be covered under the Widow's Pension, Deserted Wife's and Prisoner's Wife's Allowance schemes. The basic legislation is contained in the 1993 Social Welfare Consolidation Act. The aim of the schemes is to provide support for survivors etc. and for all lone parents who are rearing child dependants without the support of a partner. General Principles The general principle underlying the schemes is that widows and orphans and those rearing children without the support of a partner 39
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Ireland and the Minimum Income Guarantee - Combat Poverty Agency

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