Joe Walsh
Question:158 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the level of income at which a person starts to receive a reduced level of old age non-contributory pension. [2149/95]
Written Answers. - Old Age Non-Contributory Pension.
Under present arrangements for means assessment, a person's means can be up to £6 per week, with an additional £2 per week for each dependent child before the rate of Old Age Non-Contributory Pension is reduced. Full details of the payment structure are given in the following table.
The means assessment takes account of money and property (other than the family home) which is assessed on a national basis, and of income, subject to certain exceptions, which a person or his or her spouse or partner may reasonably expect to receive in the following year.
In assessing the capital value of property and money, the first £200 (£400 for a couple) is not taken into account, the next £375 (£750 for a couple) is assessed at 5 per cent and the remainder is assessed at 10 per cent. Where this results in a means assessment of £52 or more per year, the means assessed are increased by £52. The weekly means are calculated by dividing the yearly means by 52. More specific details of this means assessment are set out in Section 3.4 of "The Law on Social Welfare — A Guide to the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993", published by my Department, which I will make available to the Deputy.
TABLE I
Old Age Non-Contributory Pension
|
Where the weekly means as assessed by the Department are: |
Rate per week |
Increase per week for adult dependant |
|
Up to £6.00 |
£61.00 |
£36.60 |
|
Over £6.00 and up to £8.00 |
£59.00 |
£35.60 |
|
Over £8.00 and up to £10.00 |
£57.00 |
£34.60 |
|
Over £10.00 and up to £12.00 |
£55.00 |
£33.60 |
|
Over £12.00 and up to £14.00 |
£53.00 |
£32.60 |
|
Over £14.00 and up to £16.00 |
£51.00 |
£31.60 |
|
Over £16.00 and up to £18.00 |
£49.00 |
£30.60 |
|
Over £18.00 and up to £20.00 |
£47.00 |
£29.60 |
|
Over £20.00 and up to £22.00 |
£45.00 |
£28.60 |
|
Over £22.00 and up to £24.00 |
£43.00 |
£27.60 |
|
Over £24.00 and up to £26.00 |
£41.00 |
£26.60 |
|
Over £26.00 and up to £28.00 |
£39.00 |
£25.60 |
|
Over £28.00 and up to £30.00 |
£37.00 |
£24.60 |
|
Over £30.00 and up to £32.00 |
£35.00 |
£23.60 |
|
Over £32.00 and up to £34.00 |
£33.00 |
£22.60 |
|
Over £34.00 and up to £36.00 |
£31.00 |
£21.60 |
|
Over £36.00 and up to £38.00 |
£29.00 |
£20.60 |
|
Over £38.00 and up to £40.00 |
£27.00 |
£19.60 |
|
Over £40.00 and up to £42.00 |
£25.00 |
£18.60 |
|
Over £42.00 and up to £44.00 |
£23.00 |
£17.60 |
|
Over £44.00 and up to £46.00 |
£21.00 |
£16.60 |
|
Over £46.00 and up to £48.00 |
£19.00 |
£15.60 |
|
Over £48.00 and up to £50.00 |
£17.00 |
£14.60 |
|
Over £50.00 and up to £52.00 |
£15.00 |
£13.60 |
|
Over £52.00 and up to £54.00 |
£13.00 |
£12.60 |
|
Over £54.00 and up to £56.00 |
£11.00 |
£11.60 |
|
Over £56.00 and up to £58.00 |
£ 9.00 |
£10.60 |
|
Over £58.00 and up to £60.00 |
£ 7.00 |
£ 9.60 |
|
Over £60.00 and up to £62.00 |
£ 5.00 |
£ 8.60 |
|
Over £62.00 and up to £64.00 |
£ 3.00 |
£7.60 |
|
Over £64.00 |
Nil |
Nil |