Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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90. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will address the concerns outlined in detail in relation to the pension entitlement of a person (details supplied); if she will have the decision to reduce the pension payment reviewed as a matter of urgency, taking into account all of the relevant data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55716/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The person concerned is in receipt of an Increase for Qualified Adult allowance (IQA) on their State Pension (contributory). An increase for qualified adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.

Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is payable. Where their weekly means are over €100 and not more than €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment. Where property or assets are held jointly, the qualified adult's means are assessed as half of the total amount. The family home is not included in the means assessment.

As part of my Department’s commitment to ensuring that claimants are receiving their full and correct entitlements, ongoing reviews of all means tested payments are carried out. In the case of an increase for qualified adult on SPC, the primary claimant is contacted by my Department to notify them that their continuing entitlement to the means tested IQA payment is being examined. A questionnaire is required to be completed to include details of the means of their qualified adult.

In this case, the qualified adult of the person concerned was assessed with personal means of €246.00 per week. This gives an entitlement to a reduced weekly qualified adult payment of €86.00 from 08 September 2022. The decision issued on 15 August 2022, and included a breakdown of the means assessment, together with the right to seek a review of or appeal this decision. Following a review in September 2022, the decision of the 15 August 2022 still stands.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.