Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
1140. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if those availing of the widow’s pension can also receive illness benefit and-or the back-to-school allowance in circumstances where they do not have the financial support of another parent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43386/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraWidow’s Pension (contributory) is a weekly social insurance payment to those covered by social insurance whose spouse or civil partner has died.
Illness Benefit is the main income support provided to those who cannot work due to illness of any kind and who are covered by social insurance.
If a customer is getting a reduced rate of Widow’s Pension, they may also get a reduced rate of Illness Benefit, so that the combined amount of both payments is not greater than the rate of Illness Benefit to which they are entitled.
However, there is a general principle of one person, one payment, which applies across the social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world.
As a result, people on Widow’s Pension cannot be in receipt of an overlapping second payment, for example Illness Benefit, at the same time.
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a means-tested once-off payment aimed at helping families with the extra costs of clothing and footwear when children start school each autumn.
In order to qualify, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social protection payment or participating in an approved employment, education or training support scheme and they must be in receipt of an increase for a qualified child in respect of each child for whom the allowance is being claimed (except in certain circumstances). Each child must be between 4-17 or 18-22 (only if returning to second level education).
Widow's Pension is a qualifying payment for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance payment. However, in order to qualify, the applicant’s household income must also be below the relevant income limit of this payment.
My Department keep its schemes under regular review in order to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any changes to the current system would need to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
