asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he is aware that widows in receipt of non-contributory pensions who also received 13/6 per week disability benefit under the National Health Insurance Acts had their widows' pensions reduced by reason of the fact that the disability benefit was increased to 24/-per week; if he is further aware that the net increase given was only 2/6 per week; and if he will take steps to modify the means test to ensure that these widows will receive the full amount due to them for disability benefit without their pensions being reduced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Widows' Non-Contributory Pensions.
Under existing legislation disability benefit payable under the National Health Insurance Acts must be taken into account as means for the purposes of the non-contributory provisions of the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts. As the Deputy is aware, in July last the rate of disability benefit was increased from 13/6 a week to 24/- a week, and at the same time the maximum rates of widows' non-contributory pensions were increased from 14/- a week in an urban area and 10/- a week in a rural area to 20/- a week. The consequent reassessment of means in the case of a widow who had no other income but disability benefit resulted in the award of a non-contributory pension of 12/- a week.
The effect of the changes accordingly was, in the case of a widow in an urban area, to increase by 8/6 a week the combined rate of disability benefit and widow's pension, viz., from 27/6 a week to 36/- a week and, in the case of a widow in a rural area, by 12/6 a week, viz., from 23/6 a week to 36/- a week.
In those circumstances I do not propose to make any change in the existing means test for widows' non-contributory pensions.
Is it correct to say, therefore, that in respect of widows in receipt of non-contributory pensions in an urban area, the net increase would be 2/6?
The net increase is 8/6 in an urban area; 12/6 in a rural area.
There was an increase from 13/6 to 24/- in the widow's pension. Then there was a modification of the disability benefit, which was reduced from 20/- to, I think, 12/-. Therefore, the difference would be 2/6 per week, would it not?
No. In the urban area before the widow had 13/6 disability pension plus 14/-, that is 27/6; she now has £1 a week plus 16/-, that is 36/- in all.
Is the Minister aware that in certain cases where a widow has dependents and comes to the age of 70 her pension is reduced?
Yes, that is when she loses the allowance for the child.
Even though she is entitled to the allowance the pension is ultimately reduced because the widow has come to the age of 70.
Is it not a fact that prior to the operation of the Minister's new Act national health was 13/6 and widow's pension 20/-; that was 33/6? Now national health is 24/-and the widow's pension 12/-, or a total of only 36/-.
No, it rises from 27/6 or 23/6 to 36/- a week.