Vol. 421 No. 8
235 Mr. Cotter asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will allow persons in receipt of invalidity pension to retain their entitlement to additional benefits when they transfer to widow's pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Additional benefits such as free electricity allowance are available to pensioners over 66 and to persons under 66 who are in receipt of invalidity pensions or disabled person's maintenance allowance.
An invalidity pensioner who transfers to widow's pension scheme and who is under 66 years of age, would lose her entitlement to additional benefits as she would not be in receipt of a qualifying payment. She could, however, opt to remain on invalidity pension after becoming a widow.
There are a number of situations in which widows under 66 lose entitlement to additional benefits. Any extension of entitlement to such benefits would, however, have financial implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context. The cost of extending the free schemes to widow pensioners generally is estimated at £12 million per annum.
236 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Social Welfare if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Dublin received notice from his Department on 27 May 1992, advising her of the cancellation of an invalidity pension from 10 March 1992, in spite of the fact that this person is having hip replacement operations, one on 29 June and the second in September, and has been advised by her specialist that she will never be able to work again; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The person concerned has been in receipt of disabilty benefit since 28 April 1987. Representations made on her behalf by the Deputy in March 1992 were accepted as a request for her transfer from disability benefit to invalidity pension.
