Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will introduce measures to allow qualified adults receive the living alone allowance in cases where the spouse or partner resides in a nursing home on a permanent basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12395/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The living alone increase is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and receiving payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes. It is not a benefit in its own right and cannot be paid unless there is an entitlement to one of the qualifying payments.

An increase for qualified adult is payable to a person whose spouse/partner is wholly or mainly maintained by him/her, and where the weekly means of the spouse/partner come within certain specified limits. Although this social welfare increase is awarded to, and remains the entitlement of the social welfare recipient, it is paid directly to the spouse/partner. The increase attaches to the principal payment and cannot be paid unless there is an entitlement to a social welfare payment.

In a case where the person in receipt of the principal payment resides in a nursing home an increase for a qualified adult may be paid provided the qualified adult continues to be wholly or mainly maintained by the person who lives in the nursing home. However, as the living alone increase attaches to the person in receipt of the principal payment, it cannot be paid to the qualified adult. There are no plans to review the position.