Entitlement to the free schemes from my Department is available to elderly or permanently incapacitated persons who are receiving certain social security type payments and who are either living alone or with excepted persons.
The current rate of annuities payable under the farmer's retirement scheme is not such as to preclude entitlement to old age (non-contributory) pension where the recipient has reached pensionable age and the annuity is the sole source of income to the household. For example, a single farmer entitled to an annuity for £2,020 could still qualify for an old age (non-contributory) pension of £16 per week at current rates. A married farmer whose spouse is also over age 66 and whose current annuity is £3,037 could qualify for an old age (non-contributory) pension of £26 each per week at current rates. Persons in this situation would qualify for free schemes subject to the normal conditions. Extension of the free schemes to persons not in receipt of social security type payments would have wideranging and costly implications and there are no proposals for such a change at present.