Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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403. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if he will examine the introduction of an additional top-up or increased payment to recipients of the old age pension who also have a significant disability, considering the increased costs they face; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31456/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides State Pension payments through the State Pension (Contributory)(SPC), which is a contributory based payment based on a person's social insurance record and the State Pension (Non-Contributory)(SPNC) which is means-tested social assistance payment. To receive either a contributory or social assistance payment a person must qualify for that payment in their own right.

The SPC is funded from the Social Insurance Fund through the social insurance contributions paid by workers and employers. The rate of payment reflects the number of social insurance contributions paid over a working life. To qualify for this payment a person requires 520 (equivalent to 10 years) paid contributions. A person in receipt of a maximum rate Invalidity Pension (IP) will automatically transfer to a maximum rate SPC on turning 66. The maximum rate of SPC is €289.30 which is almost €40 a week higher compared to max rate of IP which is €249.50.

For those who do not qualify for a SPC, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record, the SPNC is available. This is a means-tested social assistance payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State. The maximum rate for SPNC is €278 which is €34 a week higher compared to the maximum rate of the means tested Disability Allowance which is €244.

My Department also provides additional support to people with disabilities through other secondary benefits that may also be available to those in receipt of a State Pension payment.

The household benefits package (HHB) package comprises the electricity or gas allowance (€35 a month) and the free television licence. The package is available to people living in the State aged 66 years and in receipt of the SPC, SPNC or Widows, Widowers and surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension. It is also available to people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain payments including Disability Allowance and IP.

For a person in receipt of SPC or SPNC and living on their own, the Living Alone Increase is currently paid at €22 per week.

Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, a heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances that have special heating needs. If a recipient of a social protection or HSE payment has exceptional heating costs due to ill health, infirmity or a medical condition which he/she is unable to meet out of household income, that person may apply for a heating supplement. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. Heating supplements are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to ensure that the payments target those most in need of assistance.

Exceptional needs payments are also available under the SWA scheme. Exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which customers are unable to meet out of their own resources. Decisions on such payments are made on a case-by-case basis.

Any future changes to State Pension system including the introduction of a top-up or increased payment for those with significant disabilities would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context and also in the context of the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund.

I trust this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.