Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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82. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will review a case (details supplied) [9557/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Within the social welfare system, there are a number of supports for people who suffer a bereavement. In particular, there is an arrangement known as the six-weeks payment after death which allows for certain payments to continue to be made after a person dies.

To qualify for a continued payment, the spouse/partner must be either a qualified adult on the deceased person’s payment or a customer in receipt of a payment in his/her own right.

Where a person in receipt of a social welfare payment dies and there is an Increase for a Qualified Adult in payment, this payment continues for six weeks. Where there is no Increase for a Qualified Adult, entitlement to the payment ceases upon the death of the customer.

As there was no increase for a qualified adult payable to the spouse of the person concerned, the payment ceased on the death of their spouse.

I have arranged for an application for the Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension (WCP) to issue to the person concerned. The person concerned is currently in receipt of Deserted Wife's Benefit from my Department at a rate equivalent to the maximum rate payable on the WCP.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.