Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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138. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection for an update on an application by a person (details supplied) for the working family payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6615/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Working Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them and be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment.

An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 27 January 2025. A deciding officer has contacted the person concerned requesting further information. When the information is received, a deciding officer will review the claim and the person concerned will be advised in writing of the claim decision. If awarded, any payments including arrears will issue to the customers nominated financial institution.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when a decision will be made regarding the qualified adult allowance on a contributory pension for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6656/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The person concerned reached pension age on 11 March 2013.

The State Pension (contributory) was awarded from this date plus an Increase for a qualified adult allowance in respect of their spouse.

Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of the Increase for Qualified Adult (IQA) allowance is payable. Where their weekly means are over €100 and not more than €310, a tapering reduced rate of IQA is payable. If the qualified adult has means of more than €310 per week, this exceeds the means limit and there is no entitlement to an IQA payment. Where property or assets are held jointly, the qualified adult's means are assessed as half of the total amount. The family home is not included in the means assessment.

As part of my Department’s commitment to ensuring that claimants are receiving their correct entitlements, ongoing reviews of all means tested payments are carried out. Following a review, the qualified adult of the person concerned was assessed with personal means of €334.50 per week. As this exceeds the allowable limit of €310.00, the qualified adult payment was stopped from 5 September 2024.

The person concerned has appealed this decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office; when this appeal has been decided written notification will issue to the person concerned from the Appeals Office.

As the spouse of the person concerned has an entitlement to state pension (contributory) at the current weekly rate of €188.50 in their own right, this pension has been re-instated from 6 September 2024. Arrears totaling €4,752.80 covering the period 6 September 2024 to 20 February 2025 has issued to the nominated account of the spouse of the person concerned. A letter issued on 17 February 2025 informing them of this decision.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.