Allowances for surviving spouses
Mitchell asked whether surviving spouses of allowance recipients could retain free electricity and other benefits when bereavement reduces their means. Haughey said extensions are considered during periodic reviews, especially in the annual budget, and expressed sympathy toward possible extensions.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will consider extending the free electricity and other allowances to surviving spouses of deceased old age pensioners who up to their deaths qualified for these allowances, especially where the means of the surviving spouse is diminished by their partner's death.
Comment on this
The schemes providing for free electricity and free travel are reviewed in my Department from time to time and the possibility of suitable extensions is normally considered in the context of the annual budget.
Comment on this
Can I take it that the Minister is sympathetic to the case of spouses of deceased recipients?