Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Social Protection to detail the cost per €1 increase in the living alone allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38265/14]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The Living Alone Allowance (LAA) 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 less than 66 years of age, living alone and in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension, incapacity supplement or blind pension. Each €1 increase in the living alone allowance would cost €9.6 million in a full year.

The appropriate levels of weekly social welfare rates of payment, including any increases payable such as the living alone allowance, is being considered in the context of the forthcoming Budget which will be announced on Tuesday, October 14.