Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

299. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if the living alone allowance is deemed a core social welfare payment within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41844/13]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The term “core social welfare payments” refer to those primary weekly payments that are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. These payments include weekly paid income support schemes such as State pensions.

The Department pays out a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash on a weekly, monthly or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary, or non-primary, in nature.

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, including State pensions and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and are in receipt of , invalidity pension, incapacity supplement and blind pension.

The payment of the living alone increase is considered secondary, or non-primary, in nature.