The means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a payment for people aged over 66 who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) or who only qualify for a reduced contributory pension based on their insurance record.

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_non_contributory.html

It is a payment for widows, widowers or surviving civil partners who do not have dependent children. People with dependent children should apply for the One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker’s Transitional payment.

You transfer to State Pension (Non-Contributory) when you reach 66 years of age. This pension is taxable but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.

Rules

To qualify you must, of course, be a widow, widower or surviving civil partner and you must not be cohabiting with another person. You can keep your entitlement to this pension if you are divorced or your civil partnership has been dissolved, and you would have been entitled to this pension had you remained married or in the civil partnership.

You must also:

• Pass a means test and
• Be habitually resident in the State.
• The means test
• Your means are any income you have or property (except your own home) or an asset that could bring in money or provide you with an income.

Your means are assessed using specific rules under the following headings:

• Cash income (including, income from work)
• Value of capital (for example, savings, investments, cash on hand and property but not your own home)
• Income from property personally used
• Cash income and income from work
• Any cash income you have is assessed in the means test. This includes income from a social security pension from another country. However, certain items of cash income are not taken into account in the means test. For example, earnings of up to €100 per week from employment (but not self-employment) are not taken into account. Any income from work above €100 is assessed as means.

Any income you get from working as a home help for the HSE is taken into account in the means test.

Capital and property not personally used

Savings, investments, cash on hand and any property you own (but not your own home) is assessed as capital. All your capital from different sources is added together and a special formula is then used to find your weekly means from capital.

The property and investments that may be assessed under this heading include savings in a bank account (or anywhere else), a house that you have let and stocks and shares. You may or may not be getting an income from the property or investment. Income from property already assessed on its capital value is not assessed in the means test – see ‘Cash income’ above.

Income from property personally used (your home)

The value of the house you live in is not taken into account in the means test. However, any income you are getting from it is taken into account. For example, if you rented a room in your house, that income is assessed. There is an exception to this, if not renting the room means that you would be living alone then your income from rent is not taken into account.

Total means

Your means under the various headings are added together to see what level of pension, if any, you can get.

The first €7.60 per week of means as assessed by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection does not affect the rate of pension. After that, the pension is reduced by €2.50 each week for every €2.50 of means.

Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension Maximum weekly rate from 30 March 2018

Widow, widower or surviving civil partner (under 66) €198

Extra benefits

If you are getting a Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Non-Contributory) you may qualify for Fuel Allowance (if you are living alone or with certain ‘specified’ people).

If you are aged 60 to 65 and your late spouse or civil partner was getting a Household Benefits Package at the time of their death, you may qualify for a Household Benefits Package.

You may also qualify for help with funeral expenses and rent under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

How to apply

Download and complete Form WP1 here (pdf). You can also get application forms from post offices.

If you are unhappy with a decision made on your claim, you can appeal against it. Find out more about the social welfare appeals process.

Homepage: https://www.welfare.ie/

Widow, widower or surviving civil partner (under 66) €198

Extra benefits

If you are getting a Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (Non-Contributory) you may qualify for Fuel Allowance (if you are living alone or with certain ‘specified’ people).

If you are aged 60 to 65 and your late spouse or civil partner was getting a Household Benefits Package at the time of their death, you may qualify for a Household Benefits Package.

You may also qualify for help with funeral expenses and rent under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme.

How to apply

Download and complete Form WP1 here (pdf). You can also get application forms from post offices.

If you are unhappy with a decision made on your claim, you can appeal against it. Find out more about the social welfare appeals process.

Homepage: https://www.welfare.ie/

The HSE provides a wide range of services for people growing older in Ireland. Supports are also available from other agencies like the Department of Social Protection, Local Authorities, and Voluntary Organisations. Choose from the options below to find out more about the services we provide, and how you can access them. If you have any questions, you can also call our staff at the HSE infoline on 1850 24 1850. The infoline is open from Monday – Saturday, 8 am – 8 pm, for the price of a local call.

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/

https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/

SeniorCare was co-founded and launched by Sheila and Conor Ebbs in 2007. The idea for the website sprang from concerns about the declining health and mobility of Sheila’s mother, who wished to remain in her own home for as long as possible. The online search for home care services and entitlements was very difficult with information spread over many separate websites.

Sheila and Conor’s vision for SeniorCare.ie was that it should be a one-stop information directory, easily accessed by clients, their families, carers and healthcare professionals. The website has grown in traffic and online visibility every year since its launch and is the only comprehensive Irish online resource for senior care services and information.

A vast redesign was undertaken in 2017 to upgrade the website to a responsive information hub. New additions include:

• a searchable information section covering entitlements, caregiving, dementia, and more;
• a helpful services section displaying information on helplines for older people and their loved ones;
• an upgraded online directory of services, map-enabled, with secure logins and editing capabilities for businesses

https://www.seniorcare.ie/