asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason for the delay in the payment of a widow's contributory pension to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and when payment will issue.
Written Answers. - Widows Contributory Pension.
489.
The person concerned claimed widow's pension from my Department on 12 May 1980 following the death of her husband on 21 April 1980. Normally payment of pension would have been made from the Friday following the latter date.
Her husband had been in receipt of unemployment benefit (including pay-related benefit) at the rate of £67.42 a week up to the date of his death. In order to avoid hardship while awaiting the processing of the widow's pension claim the payment of £67.42 a week continued to be made to her for a further six weeks. She only became entitled to payment of widow's pension from the Friday following the expiration of that period, i.e. from Friday 6 June 1980. Pension order books to the value of £60 a week, the maximum rate appropriate to a widow with five qualified children, issued to the designated post office for collection by her on that date.
The widow has accordingly received payment at the rate of £67.42 a week in respect of the first six weeks after her husband's death and at the rate of £60 a week thereafter.