I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 to 138, inclusive, together.
Under a Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) in the UK, the DSP has received information from the DWP regarding their clients, with addresses in the Republic of Ireland, who are in receipt of United Kingdom welfare payments.
This information is used solely to identify mutual customers, that is, persons in receipt of a UK welfare payment who are also in receipt of a “top-up” Irish non-contributory welfare payment. Under the Memorandum of Understanding information is only maintained on mutual customers. As a result the information requested by the Deputy on the total number of individuals resident in the State and in receipt of UK State Pensions for each of the following years, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013, along with an analysis of the gross value of UK State Pension for those years and county details for 2012 and 2013 is not available to the Department.
According to the DWP website the following are the number of DWP clients with addresses in the Republic of Ireland who are in receipt of UK welfare payments.
Year:
|
2009 (Nov)
|
2010 (Nov)
|
2011 (Nov)
|
2012 (Nov)
|
2013 (Nov)
|
Per DWP website:
|
115,630
|
121,400
|
125,530
|
128,860
|
132,070
|