Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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147. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider increasing the living alone allowance in budget 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29160/16]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Living Alone Allowance is an additional payment of €9.00 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 €10.2 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 11th.