Support services demand equals 2008 recession, SVP volunteers say

The number of people seeking help from the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) in the first half of this year was up more than 20 per cent on the same period last year, itself a record year in terms of the demand for its services.

“We had 80,000 calls up to the end of June, compared with 191,000 calls received in total in 2021. Normally the majority of such calls to us are from September onwards,” said Dr Tricia Keilthy, SVP head of social justice and policy.

Much of the assistance sought was “around help with food and energy costs. It has been very, very busy. Volunteers have compared it to the 2008 recession and we hope it is short term. We’re bracing for the winter and hope the Government can deliver,” she said.

The fuel allowance last spring “helped,” she said, “but the food basket for people on very low incomes has seen a big increase, from an average €60 to €80. People with no extra money have contacted the SVP,” she said. “Now there’s the back-to-school costs, concerns about which this year seem earlier than usual. This may be because in May and June each year schools ask for voluntary contributions.”

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The additional €100 back-to-school allowance was “a huge relief, but the gap at second level is massive. The back-to-school allowance there is €385 but the real cost for a secondary school student is about €1,000. That’s a massive gap,” she said. The SVP encouraged parents to work out arrangements with schools “but we help with uniforms as best we can,” she said.

It was true there was “a bit of a respite” in costs during summer months, particularly where utilities were concerned, “but there remained high levels of debt” with some families. Looking ahead, the SVP was “really concerned that people might be faced with a choice between food and heat next winter”.

The society believed “there should be a €15 increase in the fuel allowance and that this be extended to 32 weeks. Social welfare payments generally should be increased by €20, just to help people to stand still,” she said. It was the case in urban areas that a gap between rent and the housing assistance payment was growing while the cost of oil, on which most rural households depended for heat and transport, was increasing all the time, she said.

Earlier this year the SVP commissioned a Red C poll to analyse the financial impact of Covid-19 on rising costs. It found that 37 per cent of people had by then already cut back on essential heating and electricity use, with almost 40 per cent worried about their ability to meet their future household energy costs.