Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
487. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of women who have been cut off the State pension (non-contributory) and QA contributory pensions in each of the past ten years (details supplied). [4259/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraState Pension Non-Contributory (SPNC) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record.
State Pension (Contributory) (SPC) is a social insurance based payment made to people at age 66. This is not a means-tested payment. The State Pension (Contributory) is based solely on a person’s record of contributions. A person can receive payment of State Pension (Contributory) and continue to work or have other income such as an occupational pension.
Subject to a means test being satisfied, an increase for qualified adult on state pension contributory or non-contributory may be payable where a pension claimant’s spouse, civil partner or co-habitant is financially dependent on them.
With State Pension Contributory, an increase for qualified adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.
A person’s entitlement to a state pension non-contributory or to an increase for qualified adult on state pension contributory or non-contributory may, on review, be stopped or withdrawn if:
they are found to be financially better off on another payment (which has been awarded to them
the weekly statutory means limit is no longer satisfied
they no longer satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (appropriate to State pension non-contributory, only)
they fail to disclose means when requested to do so
their whereabouts are not known when the Department tries to contact them
The age at which an individual becomes eligible for payment of SPC or SPNC is 66. According to annual population estimates released by the CSO, there were 381,292 females aged 66 or over in Ireland in 2022. This figure is provisional and subject to revision following the publication of the Census 2022 results.
The number of women in receipt of SPC and SPNC in each of the last 10 years is provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Females in receipt of SPC or SPNC, by year
|
Year |
SPC |
SPNC |
|
2022 |
195,305 |
58,198 |
|
2021 |
186,379 |
56,615 |
|
2020 |
175,442 |
57,264 |
|
2019 |
165,471 |
57,314 |
|
2018 |
154,840 |
58,041 |
|
2017 |
146,172 |
58,259 |
|
2016 |
137,809 |
58,677 |
|
2015 |
130,695 |
9859,078 |
|
2014 |
123,613 |
59,672 |
|
2013 |
116,161 |
59,9 |
Currently, there are 50,439 women Qualified Adults on a SPC claim, and 2,564 women Qualified Adults on a SPNC claim.
My Department does not hold data on the number of women who have had their payment stopped over the last 10 years. The number of claims rejected and disallowed for SPC and SPNC over each of the last 10 years is shown in Table 2. Due to the way data is stored in my Department, this data is only available in aggregated form. It is not possible to provide the breakdown by sex, or the breakdown of the reasons that a claim was rejected or withdrawn.
Table 2: SPC and SPNC claims withdrawn and rejected, by year
|
Year |
SPC claims rejected |
SPC claims withdrawn |
SPNC claims rejected |
SPNC claims withdrawn |
|
2022 |
12,207 |
9,356 |
2,609 |
1,094 |
|
2021 |
14,358 |
8,167 |
2,059 |
1,023 |
|
2020 |
13,742 |
7,568 |
2,068 |
1,041 |
|
2019 |
16,063 |
6,776 |
2,252 |
1,146 |
|
2018 |
10,304 |
4,736 |
2,253 |
1,212 |
|
2017 |
10,002 |
5,336 |
2,139 |
1,323 |
|
2016 |
9,703 |
5,409 |
2,332 |
1,170 |
|
2015 |
9,727 |
6,803 |
2,188 |
1,167 |
|
2014 |
8,205 |
5,591 |
2,350 |
1,131 |
|
2013 |
7,877 |
5,791 |
2,351 |
999 |
