Vol. 512 No. 8
95 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo has encountered in relation to her pension; the benefits she will receive with the recent budget announcements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27365/99]
The person concerned is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension. Many of the difficulties referred to in her letter relate to problems she has experienced in caring for her elderly mother, in particular in relation to respite care. These are issues for the Minister for Health and Children who has recently allocated funding of £1 million to the health boards, specifically targeted at carers of older people. Additional funding has also been granted by the Minister for Health and Children to the Carer's Association and funding for additional nursing and para-medical supports for the home care of older people.
The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one social welfare payment is payable to an individual.
The review of the carer's allowance examined the issue of paying the carer's allowance in conjunction with another social welfare payment. As indicated, the practice of paying only one allowance is a feature, with very few exceptions, of all social welfare payments and is designed to ensure that limited resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one individual. The review concluded that this practice should continue.
In the case of the person concerned, it is of more financial benefit to her to remain in receipt of her current payment.
The 2000 budget provided for an increase of £7 a week for old age pensioners, including widows and widowers aged over 66 years, together with an increase of £4 a week for all other social welfare recipients aged under 66 years. These improvements will come into effect from the beginning of May 2000.
96 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be approved and paid under the farm assist scheme in view of the fact she has not received any benefit for the past 14 weeks. [27394/99]
The person concerned was in receipt of unemployment assistance a at the weekly rate of £65.50 based on a means assessment of £8.00 per week, derived from income from farming.
To establish her entitlement under the farm assist scheme, the means of the person concerned were reviewed in June 1999. To assist in this review the social welfare inspector provided the person concerned with a list of documents she should submit in order that her means could be determined. Despite several requests from the social welfare inspector, the person concerned failed to provide the required documents and, on consideration of the inspector's report, the deciding officer disallowed her claim.
The person concerned appealed the decision to the social welfare appeals office. Her case has been considered by an appeals officer who is of the opinion that an oral hearing is necessary. This will be arranged as soon as possible. Of course, if the person is in financial difficulty it is open to her to apply for supplementary welfare allowance at her local health centre.
97 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if he will introduce new contribution provisions to allow persons to qualify for widow's pension on pre-1953 contributions on a pro rata basis as part of his package of reforms of contribution conditions. [27408/99]
The reforms to which I referred in my recent budget speech relate to the qualifying conditions for the old age contributory and retirement pensions.
The qualifying conditions for the widow(er)'s contributory pension are already more flexible than those for the old age contributory pension. To satisfy the yearly average condition, a person's entitlement may be based on either the full social insurance record or the record over the previous three or five years. A widow or widower may qualify on either their own or their late spouse's insurance records. In addition, social insurance contributions paid under the National Health Insurance Acts since 1936 may already be used to satisfy the minimum requirement that 156, or three years contributions are paid and the yearly average test. Therefore, the question of introducing new provisions on the lines suggested by the Deputy does not arise.
98 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the estimated cost of bringing forward from October 2000 to April 2000 the concession of free schemes for all those aged 75 and over; and if he will consider such a move in view of the advanced age of beneficiaries. [27409/99]
The measure announced in the budget extends the free schemes to all persons aged 75 and over, regardless of their income and household composition.
The estimated cost of this measure is £1 million in 2000 and £4 million in a full year. The estimated additional cost in 2000 of introducing the measure in April 2000 instead of October 2000 is £2 million.
The implementation date for this improvement was determined in the light of the administrative arrangements which will be required in order to effect the change, and the overall financial resources available.
