AQW 14157/22-27
Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim
Tabled Date: 03/07/2024
Answered On Date: 06/08/2024
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the amount spent by his Department on the uptake of Discretionary Support grants and loans in the last five years; and (ii) any associated underspend in the Discretionary Support budget over the same period.
Answer:
My Department publishes an annual report which details Discretionary Support performance and expenditure during each financial year. The report includes the number of applications for Discretionary Support that were awarded and disallowed. The latest published annual reports can be found at: www.communities-ni.gov.uk/publications/welfare-supplementary-payments-discretionary-support-standards-advice-assistance-and-sanctions Discretionary Support is demand led, all spend is based on eligible applications received. The following table provides details on DS Grant spend against budget over the past 5 years: | Discretionary Support Grants Spend (exc UCCF) | Discretionary Support Grants Budget (exc UCCF) | Discretionary Support Grants Year End Variance (exc UCCF) | | £,000 | £,000 | £,000 | 2019-20 | £8,430 | £13,700 | £5,270 | 2020-21 | £11,661 | £13,700 | £2,039 | 2021-22 | £18,507 | £13,700 | (£4,807) | 2022-23 | £40,285 | £13,700 | (£26,585) | 2023-24 | £27,602 | £20,000 | (£7,602) |
Note - The Department's Baseline Budget for DS Grants remains £13.7m. This budget has been topped up over the last three years given significant increases in DS demand. Despite no additional funding allocated, the Department increased the budget to £20m in 2023/24.
|