I am concerned to ensure that social welfare beneficiaries receive their full entitlements. To that end, ways of ensuring full and timely take-up of payments to which people are legally entitled are continually under examination in my Department.
All persons receiving social welfare benefits on the basis of PRSI contributions are notified of their potential entitlement to retirement or old age (contributory) pension some three months before the pension becomes due at age 65 or 66 years, respectively. Adult dependants aged 66 or over of recipients of old age (non-contributory) pensions were notified of their potential entitlement to an old age pension in their own right in August 1995. It is intended to notify persons in this category on a more regular basis and in advance of their reaching age 66 in future. These initiatives help to avoid late claims from people in these categories.