Theresa Ahearn
Ceist:173 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Social Welfare if a free telephone rental allowance will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary.
Written Answers. - Social Welfare Benefits.
The person concerned applied for a free telephone rental allowance in January 1992. In order to qualify for this allowance a person under 66 years of age must be in receipt of certain qualifying payments. These payments include an invalidity or blind person's pension from my Department or a disabled person's maintenance allowance from a health board.
The person concerned is under 66 years of age and is in receipt of a widow's contributory pension. As this is not a qualifying payment for free telephone rental allowance purposes, her application for this allowance had to be rejected. She was notified accordingly.
The person concerned may re-apply for this allowance if there is a change in her circumstances or when she reaches 66 years of age next year.
John Browne
Ceist:174 Mr. Browne (Carlow-Kilkenny) asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny was not awarded arrears to 1988 of old age pension when he filled in an SE1 form, on top of which is printed, "complete this form to ensure that you get full benefit from your social insurance contributions"; and the reason this statement cannot override the actual date of application for an old age pension.
The person concerned applied for an old age contributory pension in July 1991. He was subsequently awarded pension of £108.70 per week with effect from 12 April 1991 — three months prior to the date he lodged his application. Pension was awarded at the minimum personal rate and it included allowances in respect of an adult and child dependant.
Social welfare legislation provides that contributory pensions may be back-dated three months prior to the date of receipt of the pension application. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where good cause is shown for not previously claiming pension, may payment be back-dated beyond three months.
The submission of the completion form SE1 by the person concerned in November 1988 has no bearing on the backdating of the pension award. This document, which relates to the registration of self-employed persons for pay-related social insurance purposes, cannot be regarded as an application for old age contributory pension or as notification of a person's wish to apply for pension.
A formal decision regarding entitlement to any pension or allowance can only be made when a fully completed application form is submitted to the Department.
Consequently, the application for pension cannot be back-dated further than three months in this case.