asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of persons who have to date qualified for the £1 per week additional payment to old age pensioners living entirely alone; and the estimated cost in a full year of payment of the proposed telephone subsidy to those pensioners who have their own telephones.
Written Answers. - Old Age Pensioners.
323.
The number of old age pensioners who have qualified to date for the "living alone" allowance of £1 per week is 23,589. In addition there are 10,794 recipients of this allowance who are over old age pension age and receiving invalidity, widow's contributory or retirement pension or deserted wives' or death benefit.
The estimated cost in a full year of payment of the annual rental costs of telephones for persons in these categories who have their own telephones and who are living alone, is £300,000.