Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are living alone and 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.

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. It is not paid to those in receipt of other payments that are available to those aged 65 including Jobseekers Benefit/Allowance, the Benefit Payment for over 65 year olds, Illness Benefit, etc.

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 qualifying primary Social Protection payment in order to qualify for the Living Alone Allowance. Any change to the qualifying criteria for this payment would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.