AQW 13172/22-27 Written question to the Minister for Communities
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail (i) the number of people that have applied to the Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme in each of the last five years, broken down by health and Social Care Trust; and (ii) how many of those applicants were approved as eligible for the scheme.
Asked by Kellie Armstrong MLA on 10 June 2024
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 10 June 2024
- Answer due by
- 25 June 2024
- Answered
- 1 July 202421 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Communities
- Priority question
- No
Answer
My department administers the Health Service Low Income Scheme (LIS) on behalf of the Department of Health (DoH). The role of the Department for Communities (DfC) is to assess claims, issue certificates setting out entitlement, and dealing with all related matters.
People apply to the scheme rather than an element of the scheme such as travel costs or dental charges.
The tables included below provide details of the claims received and processed by DfC business area. It is not possible to provide a further breakdown by Health and Social Care Trust, or the type of support the claimant was seeking help with.
Universal Credit
| Year | Claims Received | Claims Allowed |
| 19/20 | 9,000 | 8,114 |
| 20/21 | 8,814 | 6,067 |
| 21/22 | 15,998 | 14,100 |
| 22/23 | 20,067 | 17,666 |
| 23/24 | 21,976 | 21,491 |
Benefit Processing Centres (Legacy Benefits)
| Year | Claims Received and Processed | Claims Allowed* |
| 19/20 | 8,196 | Data not available |
| 20/21 | 4,315 | Data not available |
| 21/22 | 4,682 | Data not available |
| 22/23 | 4,807 | Data not available |
| 23/24 | 4,936 | 4,097 |
*Data on claims allowed within this business area is only available for 2023/24
| Year | Claims Received and Processed | Claims Allowed |
| 19/20 | 927 | 915 |
| 20/21 | 890 | 838 |
| 21/22 | 1064 | 1063 |
| 22/23 | 887 | 876 |
| 23/24 | 867 | 860 |
Pension Services