Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968

Amendment of section 26 of Act of 1952 (increase of benefit for adult dependants).

9.—(1) Section 26 of the Act of 1952 is hereby amended by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (3) (inserted by the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1963 ):

“(4) (a) The weekly rate of widow's (contributory) pension in the case of a widow who has attained pensionable age and of old age (contributory) pension shall be increased by the amount set out in column (6) of Part I of the Third Schedule to this Act for any period during which—

(i) the beneficiary is so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention,

(ii) there is residing with the beneficiary for the purpose of providing that care and attention a prescribed female relative of the beneficiary, and

(iii) the beneficiary, but for the residence of the prescribed female relative, would be living either alone or with another adult (or other adults) who is (or all of whom are) unable to provide that care and attention, the residence in the household of a qualified child or qualified children being disregarded for the purpose of this subparagraph.

(b) Not more than one increase of pension shall be payable under this subsection or under section 77 of the Act of 1952 (as amended by section 10 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968) in respect of any prescribed female relative.

(c) An increase of pension under this subsection shall not be payable in respect of a prescribed female relative except where—

(i) she left insurable employment for the purpose of residing with the beneficiary to provide full-time care and attention, and

(ii) she had not less than 156 employment contributions paid in respect of that employment since the beginning of the period of the last five complete contribution years preceding the date on which she left that employment.”.

(2) Subsection (1) of this section shall come into operation on the 3rd day of January, 1969.