asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3 can change from a pension from her husband's employer to an old age non-contributory pension, as financially there is little difference in the amounts paid, but this person is losing out on the State living alone allowance, free electricity allowance and free telephone allowance because she is not in receipt of a social welfare pension; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Pension Transfer.
171.
The person concerned applied for old age non-contributory pension in March 1989. The claim was unsuccessful as the person's weekly means, derived from a pension from her late husband's employer, exceeded the statutory limit.
Under the terms of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 1981, a person may not deprive herself of pay, income or property in order to qualify for old age non-contributory pension. If it appears that a person has deprived herself of income or property in order to qualify for pension, the yearly value of that means or property is still taken to be part of the means of that person for the purposes of determining entitlement to old age non-contributory pension.