Written Answers Nos. 828-845
828. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the measures taken to support persons with disabilities who are on low incomes and will be financially challenged by recent increases in the carbon tax; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32975/20]
View answerThe Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) paper "Budget 2021: The Use of Carbon Tax Funds" details how much the carbon tax is expected to raise in 2021 and the allocation of the resulting funds in line with the Programme for Government (PFG).
As per the PFG, all of the resulting revenues raised through the carbon tax are to be used to:
- ensure that the increases in the carbon tax are progressive through targeted social welfare and other initiatives to prevent fuel poverty and ensure a just transition;
- fund a socially progressive national retrofitting programme targeting all homes but with a particular emphasis on the Midlands region and on social and low-income tenancies; and
- allocate funding to a REPS-2 programme to encourage and incentivise farmers to farm in a greener and more sustainable way.
The paper identified that, while research suggests that the impact of increases in the carbon tax on household costs is limited, the burden falls unequally where incomes are lower. In 2020, the ESRI were asked to undertake analysis to determine whether the carbon tax could be increased in a progressive manner, with impacts on lower-income households offset. The ESRI found in particular that families with young children and people living alone while in receipt of social protection benefits are especially vulnerable to increases in the carbon tax.
In line with the outcomes of the ERSI's research, the Government, in framing the 2021 Budget, committed to a targeted package of social protection supports to counteract the potential impacts identified. The package will benefit a wide range of low income households, including those where a person is also in receipt of a disability related payment such as Disability Allowance, the Blind Pension or Invalidity pension.
The package includes:
- An increase to the Qualified Child (IQC) payment of €2 per week for children under 12 and €5 per week for children over 12 – to protect low income families and reduce child poverty.
- An increase in the Living Alone Allowance of €5 per week – as people with a disability and living alone are likely to have higher energy needs than average.
- An increase to the Fuel Allowance of €3.50 per week - this will compensate lower income households for the additional energy costs they are likely to incur due to an increase in the carbon tax.
The DPER paper is available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/62f05-budget-publications/
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
829. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will support calls for the wage subsidy scheme for persons with disabilities to be improved to boost employment opportunities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32978/20]
View answerThe Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market.
The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39 subsidised hours per week under a contract of employment. The contract of employment offered must be for a minimum of 6 months and the employee must be paid the going rate for the job (which must be at least the statutory minimum wage).
Private sector employers may claim a subsidy, subject to certain conditions, against the cost incurred where a productivity shortfall arises from a disability. The basic rate of subsidy is €5.30 per hour giving a total annual subsidy available of €10,748 per annum based on a 39 hour week.
The financial supports for employers are structured under three separate strands and companies could benefit under one strand or under two or three strands simultaneously, as the case may be, depending on the number of people with a disability employed, as below.
Strand I is a general subsidy for any perceived productivity shortfall in excess of 20% for a person with a disability, in comparison to a colleague without a disability. The subsidy is based on the number of hours worked.
Strand II subsidy is payable when an employer employs three or more people with disabilities who are supported by a WSS Strand I payment. Strand II is intended to cover the additional supervisory, management and other work based costs relating to such employees. This top-up payment is a percentage of the Strand I subsidy and is based on the overall number of employees with a disability employed under Strand I. It ranges from an additional 10% of wage subsidy for 3 to 6 employees with a disability to a maximum of 50% of wage subsidy for 23+ employees with a disability. Therefore when an employer has 23 or more WSS employees a 50% top up is applied to the hourly rate increasing the payment rate to €7.95 per hour for each employee.
|
3 to 6 employees with a disability |
10% top-up of wage subsidy paid |
|
7 to 11 employees with a disability |
20% top-up of wage subsidy paid |
|
12 to 16 employees with a disability |
30% top-up of wage subsidy paid |
|
17 to 22 employees with a disability |
40% top-up of wage subsidy paid |
|
23 + employees with a disability |
50% top-up of wage subsidy paid |
Strand III subsidy enables employers who employ 25 or more workers with a disability on the Wage Subsidy Scheme to be eligible for a grant of up to €30,000 per year towards the expense of employing an Employment Assistance Officer (EAO) to support these employees.
Through the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, the Government recognises the importance for people with disabilities of participation in employment. As part of the Strategy, my Department is committed to improving employment outcomes and removing barriers to employment for persons with disabilities. The supports provided have been designed to enable people with a disability to achieve their employment ambitions by focusing on the individual’s ability and capacity. The Department offers a range of supports to people with disabilities who may not be in a position to, or wish to, work full-time.
For instance, the Department’s INTREO service is available to any person with a disability who wishes to avail of the service. People with a disability may, on a voluntary basis, seek an appointment with an employment supports case officer to discuss their employment ambitions and develop a personal progression plan. Supports include assistance and advice on employment, training and personal development opportunities from a dedicated Case Officer, a focused service, based on individual needs to support a jobseeker to enter or re-enter the workforce and an access to job vacancies via the Department of Social Protection’s national www.jobsireland.ie website
EmployAbility is a specialist service (delivered under a contract arrangement with 24 companies in 31 locations around the country on behalf of the Department) which works with the Department’s Intreo and Local Employment Services. EmployAbility participants are people with a disability who are able to work a minimum of 8 hours per week and who need the support of a job coach to obtain employment in the open labour market. Budget 2021 included a measure to introduce a training support grant for Jobseekers availing of Employability services. The grant will seek to fund quick access to short term training or other supports for jobseekers with disabilities. The grant will be up to €1,000 and will be available in Q1 2021.
The Department contracts for the provision of Local Employment Services (LES) with 22 companies in 26 locations. Providers deliver a case managed employment service for all Jobseekers (including those with disabilities) who avail of the services. Jobseekers work with a LES Mediator to develop a personal progression plan in order to access the full range of employment supports available. Providers also deliver a recruitment and job matching service for employers. Jobseekers either engage directly with LES providers or are referred by my Department for employment service supports. LES Mediators may refer clients of the service to an EmployAbility service provider, if it is felt the person would benefit from this more specialised service
Partial Capacity Benefit is designed for people who are in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (for at least six months) and who have some capacity for work. There is no restriction on participant earnings or the number of hours they can work.
The Reasonable Accommodation Fund (RAF) assists both jobseekers with disabilities and employers to enable a person with a disability to enter or re-enter employment by providing a range of grants towards the costs of retaining staff who acquire a disability, the provision of workplace adaptations and disability awareness training.
I can assure the Deputy that I will keep the Department’s employment support schemes for people with disabilities under review to ensure that they continue to meet their policy objectives. However, any potential changes to these schemes can only be considered in the wider budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.
831. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a full review of the case of a person (details supplied) can be undertaken with a view to explaining the reason payment was taken from their weekly payment in respect of an overpayment that was never proven to have been paid to them directly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32298/20]
View answerIn accordance with Social Welfare legislation the person with whom a qualified child normally resides is qualified to receive child benefit in respect of that child.
The person concerned received child benefit for her daughter for a period when the child no longer resided with her. As a result, she was not entitled to payment for the period in question and a revised decision was made disallowing child benefit in respect of the period concerned (August to October 2006). This resulted in an overpayment of €450.00. She was notified of the decision and the overpayment amount in November 2006.
The Department has already reviewed this matter as a result of an earlier PQ (reference 52235/2017) and is satisfied that the payments issued to the same Post Office as other earlier child benefit payments made to the same person. Social Welfare payments made at Post Offices must be collected in person by the customer.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
832. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason the extension of parental benefit is not coming into effect until April 2021; if she will consider bringing this forward in order that parents of children born during the Covid-19 lockdown can make use of it before their children are placed in full-time childcare facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32300/20]
View answer846. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason an extension of parental leave is not available until April 2021; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many women who gave birth since the onset of Covid-19 restrictions in March 2020 are struggling due to the lack of available childcare and will be negatively impacted by having to take a further three weeks' unpaid leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32476/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 832 and 846 together.
Parent’s Leave and Benefit will be extended from 2 weeks for each parent to 5 weeks as announced in Budget 2021. This extension will be made available retrospectively to parents in respect of children born or adopted on or after 1st November 2019. The period during which this leave can be taken will be extended from 12 to 24 months so it can be taken up to a child's second birthday or within two years following adoption.
There is a necessary lead-in time following the announcement of this extension to facilitate its implementation. Firstly, legislative change is required by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth which has responsibility for parents leave policy. This legislation needs to be carefully prepared and drafted before being brought through the Oireachtas, given that it extends a statutory leave entitlement that, in addition to benefitting workers, has implications for employers.
It will also be necessary for parallel amendments to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) to be drafted and brought through the Oireachtas to provide the legislative basis for the extended payment of benefit.
In addition, significant changes are required to the Department's systems to administer this extension, including the provision of retrospective entitlement. This work needs to be undertaken in such a way that is does not compromise existing supports in an environment where there are unprecedented levels of demand on the Department’s services due to Covid-19.
The extra weeks of leave will be made available as soon as the necessary legislation which is being drafted by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is enacted.
Once the new application and payment system goes live in April, my Department will then process and issue benefit payments - to include backdated payment of benefit as appropriate - in respect of Parents Leave taken from the date of enactment.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
833. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Social Protection if a back-to-work enterprise scheme is reckoned as income in the calculations when a pandemic unemployment payment claim is processed for the different rates. [32314/20]
View answerThe Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long term unemployed and is payable for a 24 month period from the commencement of their new business.
In the case of a self-employed contributor, the rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is defined by reference to their reckonable income in either 2018 or 2019, which ever is the greater as provided by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners.
In common with all other social welfare payments, BTWEA is not included in any return of reckonable income to the Department. Accordingly, it is not reckonable as income for the purposes of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
I trust this clarifies the position.
834. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) on a community employment scheme that is due to expire on 23 October 2020 could have their term extended due to Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32332/20]
View answerThe Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with work experience and training opportunities in CE projects which benefit their local communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.
In general CE placements for new entrants aged between 21 and 55 years are for one year. CE participants who are working towards a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) major award can seek to extend their participation on CE by up to two years to enable them to reach the required standard of qualification. CE participants aged 55 years or older can remain on CE for three years and do not have to work towards a QQI major award.
In either scenario, a maximum of three consecutive year’s participation is permissible. A person may re-qualify for CE after a 12-month break once they satisfy the qualifying conditions. An overall lifetime limit of six years applies to all CE participants (seven years for those whose eligibility is based on a disability payment).
Participants over age 62 are allowed to participate on a continuous basis up to the State Pension age on the CE Service Support Stream (SSS), subject to availability of places on the SSS, satisfactory performance on the scheme and to annual approval by the Department. The places allocated for these participants within each individual CE scheme are subject to limitation criteria.
The person concerned was to complete his time on CE on 13/11/2020. However, due to Level 5 restrictions his contract has been extended and he will now finish up on 4/12/2020.
During his time on CE he has completed a number of courses including Safe Pass, Sports Surface maintenance, Manual Handling and a number of Horticulture related courses. The purpose of the training and support that he received while on CE was to prepare him for full-time sustainable employment.
On finishing CE the person concerned may avail of my Department's Activation service who will work with him to ensure that the benefits of the experience and training he received during his time on CE are maximised. A case officer will assess his skills, experience, challenges and work goals and assist him in finding full-time sustainable employment. This process will also help identify potential employment opportunities and offers support to Jobseeker’s in overcoming any barriers to employment
The priority for my Department is to ensure that all employment and activation programmes have the best outcomes for participants. Places on these work programmes will continue to be made available to support those who are long term unemployed and furthest removed from the labour market, while maintaining the role of CE as an active labour market programme.
While I understand that sponsoring bodies may wish to extend a CE participant's time on a CE scheme or CE participants themselves may wish to extend their time on a CE scheme, the Deputy will appreciate that such extensions would have a detrimental effect on other long-term unemployed candidates wishing to avail of the opportunities afforded by CE.
835. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a reduction in funding to the RSS scheme in the proposed Estimates for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32335/20]
View answerThe 2021 Budget Estimate for the Rural Social Scheme is €52.2m. This is a reduction of €1.9m on the 2020 Revised Estimate but is similar to the 2020 emerging outturn which will be around €52.3m.
The Rural Social Scheme is paid on a Thursday and there are 53 Thursdays in 2020. As there will be 52 Thursdays in 2021, this will result in a saving of €0.85m in 2021 compared to 2020.
Participants in 2020 are expected to average 3,160. The 2021 estimate is providing for a similar number of participants in 2021, having regard to the expected demand for the Rural Social Scheme.
836. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will change the policy on the household budget scheme, which may suit local authorities and housing bodies but, unfortunately, excludes approved housing bodies that may have fewer tenancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32336/20]
View answerOfficials in my Department have consulted with An Post who operate the Household Budget Scheme on behalf of the Department. An Post has clarified that all Approved Housing Bodies are eligible to use the Household Budget Scheme. While previously there was a threshold whereby an Approved Housing Body would be required to have a certain number of customers before it could access the scheme, this is no longer the case. If the Deputy has a particular case in mind, I would be happy to have my officials look into the matter.
837. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be entitled to a higher weekly rate of jobseeker’s allowance rather than the current rate, which has been payable since 1 October 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32366/20]
View answerJobseeker’s Allowance is a means-tested payment and the rate of payment depends on the income, earnings and savings of the person concerned and their spouse / partner in the case of married / cohabiting couples.
The person concerned applied for Jobseekers Allowance on 16/9/20 and submitted details of their own and their spouses income . On 23/09/2020 a means assessment issued detailing how the means were calculated. The person was eligible for reduced rate Jobseekers Allowance from 1/10/2020 based on spouses earnings.
The letter advised that the decision could be appealed and or reviewed if requested . No appeal or request to review was received from the applicant .
However, following receipt of this PQ a review was undertaken by my Department. The outcome of this review confirmed that there was to be no change in the assessment and that the rate of payment would remain the same.
Jobseeker’s Allowance is provided for in legislation by Sections 140 to 148A of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended), and Articles 116 to 121 of SI 142 of 2007 (as amended).
838. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection if full-time students in further and higher education can continue to receive the pandemic unemployment payment and enter new full-time further or higher education courses; if there is a planned date for these student-specific supports to end; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32374/20]
View answer912. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow PUP recipients who wish to undertake vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, courses to remain on the PUP payment as long as it is available rather than being required to apply for the jobseeker’s payment before taking up such a course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33207/20]
View answer914. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow recipients of the pandemic unemployment payment to access funding support to take up training courses including those provided by the education and training boards to ensure that those who have lost work can access opportunities to retrain or further their education while unemployed; if changes will be made to support those wishing to do so; if there are courses for which persons on the pandemic unemployment payment can apply for support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33247/20]
View answer931. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Social Protection if there is a requirement for a person on the pandemic unemployment payment wishing to undertake VTOS training courses to move onto jobseeker's allowance before they will be accepted onto a course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33628/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 838, 912, 914 and 931 together.
The Back to Education Allowance has been extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period before being eligible to apply for the scheme when pursuing training or education and these periods have been waived for those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Similar arrangements apply for further education or VTOS delivered by SOLAS. This ensures that those who have lost their employment during the pandemic have immediate access to a range of educational options.
A person seeking access to further education will be required to make an application for a jobseekers payment. The Back to Education Allowance is payable at the jobseekers rate, currently €203 for the weekly maximum personal rate and increased allowances may be paid for qualifying adults and child dependents. The Back to Education may be payable for the duration of the course depending on the individual's circumstances and entitlement to the payment.
A person who is engaged in part time education may continue to avail of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment while they continue to satisfy the conditions of the scheme.
I would advise any person seeking to return to education to engage with their local Intreo Centre to assess their options.
I trust that this clarifies the position.
839. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Social Protection if a childcare worker who is unable to work due to living with an extremely high-risk relative is entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment. [32386/20]
View answerThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme is available to employees and self- employed people who have lost their employment and the income from that employment due to the pandemic, and who satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme. The scheme is not available to an individual in the circumstances as set out by the Deputy.
People in the situation outlined who are experiencing financial hardship may be able to access financial support available under the means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative to be as flexible as possible to support their staff. A person can also contact the Health and Safety Authority if they are concerned about how their workplace is responding to social distancing or other measures.
I trust this clarifies the position.
840. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the latest breakdown of those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment who were previously PAYE earners or self-employed, by county, in tabular form. [32392/20]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table below. The county breakdown is based on 239,112 of the 295,860 people still in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payments, as of the week ending 1st November 2020, who have made at least one PRSI contribution in 2018 (the latest full year of PRSI contributions available to my Department).
|
County |
Number of PUP recipients with PRSI contributions in 2018 |
|
Carlow |
2,560 |
|
Cavan |
3,420 |
|
Clare |
5,457 |
|
Cork |
23,950 |
|
Donegal |
8,998 |
|
Dublin |
76,416 |
|
Galway |
13,064 |
|
Kerry |
9,808 |
|
Kildare |
10,630 |
|
Kilkenny |
3,896 |
|
Laois |
3,054 |
|
Leitrim |
1,413 |
|
Limerick |
9,232 |
|
Longford |
1,500 |
|
Louth |
7,202 |
|
Mayo |
6,246 |
|
Meath |
9,195 |
|
Monaghan |
2,961 |
|
Offaly |
3,035 |
|
Roscommon |
2,341 |
|
Sligo |
3,004 |
|
Tipperary |
6,494 |
|
Unknown |
655 |
|
Waterford |
5,610 |
|
Westmeath |
4,334 |
|
Wexford |
7,247 |
|
Wicklow |
7,390 |
|
Total |
239,112 |
841. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of a review for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32397/20]
View answerPartial Capacity Benefit (PCB) allows a person who has been in receipt of Illness Benefit for six months and who may not have full capacity for work, to return to employment and continue to receive a partial or full payment from the Department.
The personal rate of payment is based on the assessment of the persons restriction on capacity for work i.e. Moderate, Severe or Profound, where they retain 50%, 75%, or 100% of their payment respectively.
The Partial Capacity Benefit claim from the person concerned has been processed. A letter issued on the 31st August 2020 informing the claimant that she has been assessed as having a severe restriction on her capacity to work and asked that she inform the department before starting work in order that her claim be put into payment.
Once the department has received a return to work date from the person concerned their PCB payment will commence.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
842. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Social Protection when the review into community employment schemes will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32431/20]
View answerThe Community Employment (CE) programme is a community centred labour market initiative established for the purposes of social inclusion and activation, to help long-term unemployed people and other vulnerable groups to enter the workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment.
Although the Deputy has not mentioned the Interdepartmental Group (IDG) report specifically, I will respond on the basis that this is the report referred to.
In early 2019, the Government agreed to establish an Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to explore how social inclusion schemes might be organised going forward.
A number of meetings of the IDG took place and a series of follow-up meetings were undertaken with the relevant Departments. There was also a stakeholder consultation process which resulted in a number of submissions that were included in the wider review.
The final IDG report is currently with my Department for consideration and will be submitted to Government in due course.
843. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason those in receipt of the carer’s allowance who dedicate their lives to caring for a family member are not considered as qualifying for the contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32445/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Officials in my Department will be examining the policy options for reforming the state pension system both in this area and, more generally, in relation to considerations around a Total Contributions Approach.
As the Deputy is aware, the public policy and social issues in relation to funding a sustainable and adequate State pension system are complex. As a consequence, the Programme for Government commits to establishing a Commission on Pensions to examine a range of issues including sustainability, eligibility, contributions and calculation methods. The Terms of Reference for this Commission and options for its membership are currently being finalised for consideration by Government.
In the meantime, the current situation is that through the award of credited contributions, normally known as credits, the social insurance system gives significant recognition to time spent caring in terms of qualifying for the State Pension (Contributory). Credits protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as during periods spent caring. In combination with paid PRSI contributions, credits assist employees in qualifying for short-term schemes and enhance the level of benefit for long-term schemes. Credits are awarded to recipients of Carer’s Allowance (and Carer’s Benefit) where they have an underlying entitlement to credits. Credits are also awarded to workers who take unpaid Carer’s Leave from work.
In addition, all carers, including those who do not qualify for a payment or for credits, may qualify for the Homemaker scheme. The scheme, which was introduced with effect from 1994, is designed to help homemakers and carers qualify for State Pension (Contributory). Years spent caring on a full-time basis are disregarded when calculating the State Pension (Contributory) rate of payment when the rate of pension is calculated using the Yearly Average method.
When the Interim Total Contributions Approach (also known as T12) was introduced in 2018, it included provision for the HomeCaring Periods Scheme which fundamentally changed the entitlement of many who spent time out of the workforce caring for others. It acknowledged, for the first time, home caring periods prior to 1994 and provides for up to 20 years of home caring periods to be considered. Those who have a 40 year record of paid and credited social insurance contributions, subject to a maximum of 20 years of credits / homecaring periods, qualify for a maximum contributory pension where they satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the scheme. Arising from this initiative, the Department reviewed over 94,000 cases resulting in over 38,000 receiving an increased pension payment.
Since April 2019 all new State (Contributory) Pension applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and Interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid to the pensioner.
It should be noted that if a person does not satisfy those conditions, they may qualify for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% that of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory). Alternatively, if their spouse is a State pensioner and they have significant household means, their most beneficial payment may be an Increase for a Qualified Adult, based on their personal means, and amounting to up to 90% of a full contributory pension.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
845. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32470/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter issued to the person concerned on 21st October 2020 with details of the PPSN.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
