Jim O'Keeffe
Question:203 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the estimated cost of paying full arrears due to all old age and widowed contributory pensioners. [15939/99]
Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.
Under existing arrangements, where a claim to pension is made late, arrears of up to 12 months can be paid. This applies to any claims made after 1 January 1997. Under regulations which I made in 1998 additional arrears beyond 12 months may be paid on a sliding scale.
For claims made prior to 1 January 1997, arrears of up to six months can be paid. In this case also I made additional provision this year for payment of additional arrears on a sliding scale at an estimated cost of £10 million.
Regardless of when late claims are made there is provision to pay further arrears (even back to the date of original entitlement) in certain cases viz. where the person is proven to have been incapable of claiming on time, where wrong information was given by the Department, force majeure or where the claimant is currently suffering financial hardship.
Arrears in respect of claims made late after 1 January 1997 are paid on an ongoing basis at a cost of some £3 million per year. It is estimated that the cost of paying full arrears in all such cases would be an additional £3 million per year.
The additional cost of paying full arrears in all cases, including pre-1997 cases, regardless of the circumstances, is likely to be very substantial but the necessary information is not available to enable a fully reliable estimate to be given at this stage.