Ms Jennifer Hanrahan:

I would not be able to give the Deputy a figure on the number of complaints involving pensions from women. It is definitely a complaint that could come to us. Usually people have to contact the social welfare appeals office and once they go through that process they can then come to us. I would not have a figure off the top of my head, but it is the type of complaint we would look into once a person has gone through the social welfare appeals office system.

On HAP, there is a discretionary uplift which increases the rate from 20% to 35%. That is it. If we receive a complaint from someone who is at risk of homelessness, we will contact the local authority and see if it can examine the case as a matter of urgency. We do that directly.