116. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection to review the qualifying eligibility and the rate of the living alone allowance. [67326/26]

It is acknowledged that those who live alone and are dependent on certain payments from my Department face a higher cost of living than a two couple household.  It is for this reason that the Living Alone Increase is available to those in receipt of qualifying payments from my Department.

The Living Alone Increase is a supplementary payment to those who are aged over 66, living alone and in receipt of a State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension, Bereaved Partner's Pension under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme, an Incapacity Supplement under the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme or a Deserted Wife's Benefit.  It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of a Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

It is not a stand-alone payment and for this reason it is only available to those in receipt of one of those specified payments.  In total about 260,000 people receive the payment on a weekly basis.

The current rate of the Living Alone Increase is €22 a week.  It has increased by over 144% since 2019, when it was just €9 per week.  The most recent change to the rate was in Budget 2022 when it was increased by €3, from €19 per week to its current rate of €22 per week.

Any future changes to the qualifying criteria or rate of pay for the Living Alone Increase will have to be considered in the overall budgetary context, including possible increases to primary rates and other supports available to those who receive the payment.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.