Who uses the domestic social patronage and where
We already reviewed the goal and main features of the social service “Domestic social patronage” (DSP), offered by the municipalities. The crisis and the state of emergency have demonstrated this service is an even more important tool in addressing the needs of the elderly and of citizens with special needs.
Following a thorough examination of the data received from the Agency of social assistance (ASA) and of all municipal budgets available for the last few years, we can now offer a more accurate depiction of DSP.
The Domestic social patronage has been acknowledged as one of the most comprehensive local level social services. It entails primarily food and medicine delivery, household services, special aid, social contact, etc. In recent years, DSP has provided support to nearly 40,000 people per annum. In 2019, it reached 37,943 people from around the country. The vacant places are 6,373, or 17% of the total capacity. Although in 33 municipalities the social service is not available, similar services are at place as a substitute.
The annual expenses of the social patronage amount to around 340 thousand leva on average per municipality, or 22 leva per person, according to data from the municipal budgets from 2019 and 2020. In the capital, the annual budget for DSP is close to 6 million leva (covering 1,658 people), in Varna – 3 million (550 people), in Burgas – 2 million (850 people), while in Plovdiv – 1 million leva for the 400 people covered.
There are notable distinctions among the different districts and municipalities which provide the service. Social patronage covers over 1000 per 100 thousand people of the population in the districts of Dobrich, Montana, Pleven and Razgrad. Conversely, in the districts of Smolyan, Kardjali and the capital, under 300 per 100,000 people from the pertinent population receive the aid. The proportion of people included as a share of those over 65, the main target group of DSP, reveals a similar picture. In the districts of Montana, Pleven and Razgrad around 50 out of every 1000 people over 65 are included in DSP, while in Smolyan and the Capital they hardly number 10.
The Domestic social patronage is particularly important for the everyday arrangements of people in need (mostly the elderly), but also limits social isolation, and is often better and cheaper alternative to their institutionalization.
