1,200 Clare People Availed Of Additional Needs Payments In First Half Of 2022

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More than 1,200 people in Clare availed of additional needs payments in the first half of the year.

It comes as concerns continue to be raised about people on lower incomes coping with the cost of living crisis ahead of September’s Budget.

The Department of Social Protection provides additional payments to people who can’t meet their needs from their current income.

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The option has been mooted by a number of Government Ministers as an option for those on lower incomes to cope with the mounting cost of living crisis.

Here in Clare, there were 1,223 approved applications for the assistance in the first six months of 2022.

More than half of these related to what are described as ‘clothing’ needs by the Department.

A further 30 percent were described as meeting ‘general’ needs of Clare applicants, with 11 percent of payments in this county going towards housing needs.

19 Clare applicants were approved for funeral expenses, with a further 8 needing assistance with bills and 7 availing of ‘child related’ help.