5,374 Mayo people benefitting from telephone support allowance

A total of 5,374 people living in Mayo have benefitted from the telephone support allowance (TSA) in 2018 since it was returned by the government.

The TSA was announced during Budget 2018 and has been in effect since June, Minister Michael Ring said.

The TSA amounts to up to €130 a year and is intended to assist with the cost of communications and home security solutions.

To date 5374 people in Mayo have benefitted from the scheme.

People who are in receipt of a Living Alone Allowance (increasing their main DEASP payment) and a Fuel Allowance automatically qualify for the TSA. Approximately 128,000 people nationwide are in now receipt of the weekly TSA payment. The estimated full year cost of the scheme is €16.14 million.

Minister Ring said: “I am very pleased to see that this scheme is helping people here in Mayo.

“The main objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people access to personal alarms or phones for security. The allowance will also encourage social contact and assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.

“People who qualify for the TSA automatically receive the payment. There is no need to fill out an application form and people don’t have to apply to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to receive it.

“Budget 2019 provided for a social welfare package of €20.5 billion for 2019, which includes €361.6 million in additional social welfare expenditure.”