Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

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Chapter 5

Blind Pension

Entitlement to pension.

[1993 s141]

161.—(1) Subject to this Act—

(a) subject to paragraph (b), every blind person who has attained the age of 18 years shall be entitled to receive and to continue to receive such pension (in this Act referred to as a “blind pension”) as, under Chapter 4 of this Part, he or she would be entitled to receive if he or she had attained pensionable age, subject to the modification that—

(i) the rate of blind pension payable shall be the weekly rate set out in column (2), reference 5 in Part 1 of Schedule 4, and

(ii) the increase payable by virtue of section 157 (1)(a), shall be as set out—

(I) where the beneficiary and his or her spouse have attained pensionable age, in Part 2 of Schedule 4 ,

(II) where the beneficiary and his or her spouse have not attained pensionable age, in Part 3 of Schedule 4 ,

(III) where the beneficiary has not attained pensionable age and his or her spouse has attained that age, in Part 4 of Schedule 4 , and

(IV) where the beneficiary has attained pensionable age and his or her spouse has not attained that age, in Part 5 of Schedule 4 ,

and

(b) Chapter 4 of this Part applies in all respects in the case of such person, subject to the modifications that for the statutory conditions contained in section 154 (a) there shall be substituted the conditions that the person must—

(i) have attained the age of 18 years, and

(ii) be so blind that he or she either cannot perform any work for which eyesight is essential or cannot continue his or her ordinary occupation.

(2) A blind person in respect of whom a pension is payable under this section shall not be a qualified child for the purposes of this Act.