Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Widow(er)'s & Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension is a social insurance based payment and is not means tested.

To qualify for this pension, a person must:

• be a widow, widower or surviving civil partner;
• satisfy certain social insurance conditions; and
• not cohabit with another person as a couple.

The person's application for Widow(er)'s & Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension was initially disallowed because it was deemed she was cohabiting with another person who was registered at her address. One of the criteria for this pension is that a person cannot cohabit.

My Department subsequently received confirmation from the person concerned that the person who had been residing with her had moved to a new address, with effect from 28/09/2023. Consequently, the person concerned was awarded Widow(er)'s & Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension with effect from 29/09/2023.

A person in receipt of a means tested social welfare payment can rent a room, for up to €14,000 per annum, without their social welfare payment being impacted. As widow(er)'s & surviving civil partner's contributory pension is not means tested and any income from rent a room is not assessed.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs), and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the customer’s own resources, and which are deemed to be necessary. ANPs are administered by Designated Persons in the Community Welfare Service considering the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case.

According to the records of the Department, the person concerned applied for an ANP on 23/10/2023 to assist with the cost of flooring for their new home and was awarded a payment of €945. A letter issued to the person on 01/11/2023 advising them of the outcome of their application and affording them the option of seeking a review of the Designated Person’s decision.

Determinations made in relation to claims made under Sections 200, 201 and 202 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005, namely allowances-in-kind, ENPs and UNPs, can be reviewed by a SWA Reviewing Officer under Section 323 of that Act.

Following your Parliamentary Question, a review of the decision on the ANP application of the person concerned is now being undertaken. The person was contacted by the SWA Reviewing Officer on 05/03/2024 and advised that a review of the decision on their ANP application is currently progressing. It is expected that this review will be completed in the coming days and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome in writing.

I trust this clarifies the matter.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Fuel Allowance is an administrative (non-statutory) scheme and is payable to people who satisfy the conditions of the scheme and who either live alone or only with certain qualified people.

My Department received a representation and fuel allowance application from you on behalf of the person concerned on 21 February 2024. Based on the information provided to the Department, this fuel application was disallowed as the household currently includes individuals who are not in a qualifying category for Fuel Allowance. A letter notifying the person concerned of this decision issued on 26 February 2024.

It is open to the person concerned to request a review of the decision. A household composition form issued to the client on 5 March 2024. Once the information requested has been returned, a formal review can be carried out on this claim.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.