Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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831. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will provide an outline of the options available to a person (details supplied). [63159/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection provides income supports through a mixture of contributory payments (which are based on a person's social insurance record) and means-tested social assistance payments.  The State Pension (Non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. 

For the purposes of the means-test, it is necessary at the outset for applicants to provide full details of any income(s), assets, savings and investments they hold (and the income(s)/assets of their dependent spouse, civil partner, co-habitant, if applicable). 

Following the award of pension, an obligation continues to apply whereby the person receiving the pension (and, where relevant, their qualified adult dependant, personal representative or agent) must notify the Department in a timely manner of any change in their circumstances that may impact on their pension entitlement.

In the case the Deputy has raised, under the means assessment rules for state pension non-contributory, although one person has moved to residential care, a means assessment for the couple still applies.  While the spouse’s State Pension Contributory would not be included in the assessment of means, other income, including any private pension paid to either of the couple would be included in a joint assessment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.