Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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916. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the status of a payment for a person (details supplied). [31200/19]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands. These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision for homecaring periods.

The person concerned was assessed as having a reduced rate entitlement to state pension (contributory) earlier in 2019 and was informed at the time that they were financially better off to remain as a qualified adult on their spouse's claim.

In May 2019, the person concerned supplied information about their HomeCaring periods. Under the new arrangements, the maximum permissible number of HomeCaring periods 1,040 (as set out in legislation) were awarded to the person concerned. Following a review of their state pension (contributory) entitlement, the person is now entitled to a weekly payment equivalent to 70.46% of maximum rate state pension (contributory). The person has been transferred to their own pension as their entitlement now exceeds the rate of qualified adult increase that was in payment.

A review outcome has issued to the person concerned, outlining details of their increase and arrears, backdated to 31 January 2019, have issued. The first payment was available for collection in the post office on 5 July 2019.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.