Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

460. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason that a person who is living alone at home but is a qualified adult on their spouses' pension, who resides in a nursing home, does not qualify for the living alone allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8138/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, Deserted Wife's Benefit, and who are living alone.

It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

The Living Alone Allowance is not means tested and the payment is made as an increase to the recipient’s primary social welfare payment.

A claimant must be in receipt of a primary Social Protection payment in order to qualify for the Living Alone Allowance. It cannot be paid to dependents of the recipient of the primary payment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.