asked the Minister for Social Welfare the number of noncontributory old age pensioners (a) who were granted the full increase of 10/- per week as from the 1st August, 1965, and (b) who did not receive this increase as from the 1st August, 1965.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Increased Old Age Pensions.
35.
The numbers are (a) 75,856; (b) 36,756. Of the number at (b), 2,240 were subsequently granted the full increase from various dates.
Is there any possibility that these people will get the full grant from 1st August, 1965?
No, that cannot be done. It can only be done from the day the question was raised.
These people did not know that they had to apply for the full old age pension. They thought they would get it automatically. It is unfair that they should be debarred from getting it for such a long period.
Their means, as assessed previously, were over £26 5s. and, therefore, they could not get it.
The means of a lot of these people were not over £26 5s. and they did not get it, or they only got it when they applied for it.
There are 2,240.
Yes.