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Social Welfare Eligibility

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Questions (975, 979, 1024)

Matt Shanahan

Question:

975. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she plans to extend the living alone allowance to persons who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment. [19334/22]

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Michael Lowry

Question:

979. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Social Protection if the living alone allowance will be changed to a stand-alone payment for persons over the age of 66 years who are currently living alone in the State but who are not in receipt of one of the required qualifying social welfare payments to claim the payment; her plans to expand the scheme to this cohort considering the significant increase in the cost of living as part of her Department’s budget in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19435/22]

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Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

1024. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to include those without a primary qualifying payment from her Department to avail of the living alone allowance in the context of rising inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20023/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 975, 979 and 1024 together.

Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs.  In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash, on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis.  These payments are considered secondary in nature. 

The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is one of those secondary payments.  It is not a scheme or a stand-alone payment in itself, but rather it is a supplement to a primary social protection payment of €22 per week made to people aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone.  For those aged 66 or over, these payments include State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme and Deserted Wife's Benefit.  

Accordingly, there are no circumstances where the Living Alone Increase can be paid to people who are not in receipt of a primary qualifying payment from my Department.  Any decision to allow those who are not in receipt of a qualifying payment to receive the Living Alone Increase - and thereby establish it as a scheme - would have budgetary and administrative consequences and would have to be considered in the context of Budget negotiations.  

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputies. 

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