Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 October 2017
660. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to revise the level of income disregarded for the purposes of means testing for those persons in receipt of Army pensions which are currently €2 per week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42585/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial welfare legislation provides that for the purpose of means testing for weekly social assistance schemes, account is taken of property other than the family home owned by the claimant and his or her spouse/partner, other capital such as savings, investments and shares, and any income of the claimant or spouse.
The means test for weekly social assistance schemes provides for a disregard of €104 per annum for army pensions payments paid under the Army Pensions Acts 1923 to 1980. It should be noted that the State Pension Non-Contributory scheme has a general means disregard of €30 per week. This means that a person can receive an army pension of up to €1,664 per annum (if she or he had no other means) and still receive the maximum weekly rate of the State Pension Non-Contributory. A pensioner with income of €250 per week can still receive a minimal pension payment, which includes supplementary benefits such as the Free Travel pass, the Household Benefits package and Fuel Allowance.
The means testing of social welfare payments reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with income are in a position to use that income to support themselves without having to rely solely on a means-tested welfare payment.
Any changes to the current arrangements would have to be considered in an overall policy and Budgetary context.
