Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
1016. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons who were in receipt of living alone allowance and subjected to a review by her Department in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [38091/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Living Alone Increase is a supplementary payment for those who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and are living alone. It is an increase of €22 per week on the primary payment received. It is available to people aged 66 years who are living alone and in receipt State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, or Deserted Wife's Benefit.
It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.
Recipients of Living Alone Increase (LAI) in 2022 and 2023 (to date):
|
Year |
Number of recipients |
|
2022 |
232,210 |
|
2023 |
236,546 |
As a supplementary scheme there are no specific targeted reviews on the Living Alone Increase. Reviews are triggered when customers inform the Department that they have changed address, or on the basis of other control reports (e.g. Fair Deal reports, notification of Intent to marry, etc). As such, the Department does not maintain statistics on the number of reviews performed on Living Alone Increase recipients.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
