Dan Boyle
Ceist:88 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to bring about the individualisation of pension payments. [24755/02]
Vol. 558 No. 5
88 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs her plans to bring about the individualisation of pension payments. [24755/02]
From 1 October of this year, I have begun the phased implementation of individualisation of payments on an administrative basis, starting with claims to old age – contributory – and retirement pension. The arrangements now in place are in keeping with the recommendations in the report of the Working Group on Administrative Individualisation of Social Welfare Payments published in August.
The working group was established under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness to produce proposals to progress the implementation of administrative individualisation of social welfare payments, that is, the provision of a direct payment to persons who are currently supported as qualified adults on their spouses' social welfare payment. The group, chaired by my Department, comprised representatives of the social partners and relevant Departments.
Under the arrangements introduced, the qualified adult allowance rate of pension may be paid directly to a spouse with the personal rate of pension being paid to the main beneficiary. The splitting of payments is on a consensual basis and both the applicant and their spouse are required to indicate their consent in this regard.