370. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person aged under 66 years-of-age who moved from receiving an invalidity pension to a bereaved partners contributory pension is no longer eligible to receive the living alone increase; whether this distinction has been reviewed for fairness and equality; if he will consider amending legislation to include widows and widowers under 66 years-of-age who live alone and are in receipt of a bereaved partners contributory pension as eligible to receive the living alone increase; and the additional measures he is considering to support widows and widowers under 66 who live alone. [67747/26]

The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is a supplementary payment to those who are aged 66 and over 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 payable to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of a Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension.

The LAI is not a stand-alone payment. Entitlement is linked to receipt of one of the qualifying schemes specified in legislation. Accordingly, where a person under age 66 moves from Invalidity Pension to Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension, they no longer satisfy the qualifying conditions for the LAI, notwithstanding that they may continue to live alone. This arises because Invalidity Pension is a qualifying payment for the increase for people aged under 66 whereas Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension is a qualifying payment only where the recipient is aged 66 or over. It is not a consequence of any determination that the person no longer lives alone.

Invalidity Pension is provided in recognition of a person’s long-term incapacity for work. The Bereaved Partner's (Contributory) Pension is available to eligible surviving spouses, civil partners and qualifying cohabitants who satisfy the relevant social insurance conditions. Unlike Invalidity Pension, it is not a payment based on incapacity for work and recipients may have earnings from employment or self-employment. Entitlement is not dependent on living alone, as recipients may live alone, with dependent children, with family members or with other people, provided they are not cohabiting with a partner.

Any extension of the Living Alone Increase to recipients of a Bereaved Partner’s (Contributory) Pension who are under 66 would require an amendment to the current eligibility conditions and would give rise to an additional Exchequer cost. Such a change would have to be considered in the context of the overall objectives of the payment, the position of other people under 66 who live alone, and the resources available to the Department.

A bereaved person may also have access to other supports, depending on their individual circumstances. These may include Fuel Allowance, where the relevant household and means conditions are satisfied, and supports under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, including Additional Needs Payments for essential expenses that a person cannot meet from their own resources. My Department’s Intreo offices and Community Welfare Service can provide advice on the supports that may be available in an individual case.

I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.