Vol. 503 No. 3
414 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs the calculations of means used in assessing a non-contributory pension for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if that person's pension entitlement should be increased based on a United Kingdom pension of £13.93 per week. [9620/99]
The person concerned and her spouse are each in receipt of reduced-rate old age (non-contributory) pensions of £52.50 per week, based on means derived from their combined individual British retirement pensions and from the net yearly value of their capital.
Under the relevant legislation, where a couple are living together, the means attributable to each are taken to be one-half of the total means of the couple. In the circumstances while the British retirement pension of £13.93 a week in payment to the person concerned is lower than that of her husband, this does not entitle her to a higher rate of old age pension than him. The equalised old age pensions payable to each of the couple correctly reflect their aggregate means situation and their individual legal entitlements.
