Michael Ring
Ceist:734 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her Department will review a claim for an old age contributory pension by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [20080/02]
Vol. 556 No. 3
734 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if her Department will review a claim for an old age contributory pension by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [20080/02]
In March 2002, the person concerned was awarded an old age non-contributory pension at the reduced rate of €60.70 per week, based on his net income. This rate includes a living alone allowance of €7.70 and a fuel allowance of €9.00 payable during the heating season. Following an appeal to the social welfare appeals office, a question has arisen in relation to his means. The person concerned has supplied additional information in relation to the question at issue and this is being considered at present. He will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. In the meantime, payment of his pension will continue at the rate indicated.
735 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is being penalised when they genuinely submitted the document in June 2002 for farm assist; and when this person will receive payment from 28 July 2002 to date. [20126/02]
Persons in receipt of farm assist are required to complete and return annually a declaration form regarding their current circumstances. A review of entitlement to farm assist is carried out based on the response. If a completed declaration form is not returned, payment is automatically suspended. The person concerned was in receipt of farm assist from 11 September 2000. A farm assist declaration form was issued to him in June 2002. His weekly rate of payment at that time was €248.00. When no reply was received, his payment was stopped with effect from 23 July 2002. The person concerned first contacted his social welfare local office regarding the suspension of his payment on 23 October 2002. His weekly farm assist was reinstated from that date. His entitlements in the intervening period are currently being examined.
736 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the basis on which persons (details supplied) in Dublin 11, had entitlement to the free schemes when one of them was working and the other was in receipt of a social welfare payment; and the reason they are not eligible for the schemes when both are now in receipt of social welfare payments and, consequently, on a reduced level of income. [20183/02]
In order to qualify for the various household benefits, a person must be living alone or only with certain excepted categories of people. These categories include spouses in respect of whom applicants are receiving a qualified adult allowance. A qualified adult allowance can remain in payment at proportionately reduced rates where the spouse concerned is earning up to €196.81 per week. Spouses who are in receipt of unemployment benefit in their own right are not excepted for household benefit purposes. In the case of the couple concerned, the husband qualified for electricity allowance and free television licence in June 2001. At that time, he was in receipt of retirement pension and a reduced rate qualified adult allowance in respect of his wife, who was in employment. Under the household benefits rules, his entitlement to these ceased when his wife qualified for unemployment benefit in her own right in 2002.
The apparent anomaly highlighted by the Deputy in this case arises from the fact that the qualified adult allowance may be payable in conjunction with earnings from employment and the loss of employment results in a reduction in household income. The income to the couple from the social welfare system has, however, increased. Arising from the Deputy's concern I will consider the matter in the context of the budget and its cost implications. An expansion of household benefits conditions to cover the circumstances such as that of the couple concerned would have cost implications and would have to be considered in a budgetary context in the light of other priorities.
737 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the number and estimate of recipients of the fuel allowance for each of the years since 1997; the number of recipients in each of the years who were or are in receipt of an old age pension and other social welfare payment or means other than a social welfare payment but qualify by satisfying the means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20184/02]
The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are on long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their own heating needs. In order to be eligible an applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare or health board payment, must satisfy a means test and must live alone or only with specified persons. People who qualify for means tested pensions or allowances such as old age non-contributory pension, unemployment assistance or one parent family payment automatically qualify for fuel allowance. The majority of people who receive fuel allowances qualify because they satisfy the relevant means test for their primary weekly payment. In the case of contributory pensions such as old age contributory, retirement and invalidity pensions which are not means tested, a person may have a combined household income of up to €50.79 per week or savings/investments of up to €41,901.35 over and above their pension and still qualify for fuel allowance.
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
Pensions |
||||
Old Age (Contributory) |
17,513 |
17,698 |
17,539 |
17,418 |
Old Age(Non-Contributory) |
39,067 |
39,082 |
39,032 |
38,950 |
Retirement |
18,360 |
20,526 |
21,899 |
22,730 |
Widows/Widowers(Contributory) |
40,852 |
40,737 |
40,865 |
40,505 |
Widows/Widowers(Non-Contributory) |
9,774 |
9,768 |
9,611 |
9,439 |
Blind Person's |
860 |
847 |
816 |
792 |
Invalidity |
13,719 |
14,287 |
14,445 |
15,087 |
British (various) |
2,556 |
2,515 |
2,655 |
2,681 |
Total Pensions |
142,701 |
145,460 |
146,862 |
147,602 |
Single Parent Families |
||||
One-parent FamilyPayments |
36,534 |
39,089 |
40,821 |
42,177 |
Deserted Wife's Benefit |
7,515 |
7,182 |
6,877 |
6,634 |
Deserted Wife'sAllowance |
1,327 |
1,264 |
1,183 |
1,176 |
Total Lone Parents |
45,376 |
47,535 |
48,881 |
49,987 |
Long term illnesspayments |
||||
Disability Allowance |
15,457 |
17,161 |
18,542 |
20,208 |
Occupational InjuryBenefit |
309 |
322 |
321 |
332 |
Total Long Term Illness |
15,766 |
17,483 |
18,863 |
20,540 |
Others* |
73,157 |
63,822 |
54,394 |
47,871 |
739 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if there is a review within her Department of qualifying conditions for old age contributory pensioners; and if she will provide a progress report on this review. [20203/02]
740 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs if, in relation to the assessing of old age contributory pensions, she has satisfied herself that the average system of contributions is fair, particularly if a small number of contributions in a person's early working career can result in a reduced pension despite having a full contributions record in later life; and if there is a discretion on whether those early contributions should be included. [20204/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 739 and 740 together.