Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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330. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person that is over 80 years of age and is a qualified adult on their spouse's pension is not eligible for the over 80 age allowance; his plans to change this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11859/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The over 80 allowance is an increase of €10 per week on the basic pension rate, which is automatically awarded to qualified pensioners on attaining 80 years of age. Only one such allowance is payable in respect of each pension.

An Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) is paid, generally, where a pensioner has an adult dependent (e.g., a spouse who is financially dependent upon them), who does not have enough contributions to claim a maximum rate State pension (contributory) in his/her own right.

The maximum rate of an IQA for someone over 66 is €209.00, and so in most cases where it is claimed, such couples have additional income or means above their State pension payments, as otherwise they would obtain a higher payment by the Qualified Adult claiming a State pension (non-contributory), which is subject to a household means-test, and has a maximum personal rate of €222 weekly (plus additional allowances, such as the over-80 allowance, where applicable). Where household means (e.g. the spouse with the State pension also having a significant occupational pension) result in this payment being reduced, the other spouse may instead claim the IQA, the means test of which is based on their own means instead. In such cases, the Qualified Adult can choose the payment which is most beneficial to them.

An additional €5 increase in weekly rates of payment for all social welfare recipients will come into force this month, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of payments.

I have no plans to increase the rate of the IQA for people who are over the age of 80. If a person over 80 is in receipt of an IQA and has only limited household means, they may make a claim to the State pension (non-contributory), and if that payment is more beneficial to them, they will be paid under that scheme.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.