Over 20,000 Pensioners Benefit from Rate Increase Following Review

Minister urges pensioners to provide requested information to ensure they are receiving their correct entitlement

Over 40,000 decisions for pensioners who were awarded less than the maximum rate of pension on post Budget 2012 rate-bands have now been made - with 21,481 pensioners receiving an increase in their rate of payment and 21,294 remaining on their existing rate of payment.

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty TD today confirmed that the review is proceeding quickly but urged anybody who has received a request for further information to get back to her Department as soon as possible.

Minister Doherty wants everyone to receive their review outcome as speedily as possible and has allocated an additional 115 temporary staff to help carry out these reviews. Today, she said:

“I am pleased to see that we now have decisions in roughly half the cases involved and that already more than 20,000 pensioners are benefitting from increased rates. Even where pension rates do not increase, no pensioner is worse off as a result of this process as they remain on their existing payment.

“Wherever possible, reviews are processed based on information already held by my Department. However, where there are unexplained gap periods in an individual's social insurance record, a written request for information is issued. Over 44,000 requests for information have been issued to date and we are still awaiting replies from many people who may be eligible for an increased payment.

“I want to ensure that everybody who is entitled to an increase receives it. So, I would urge anybody who has received a request for further information to engage with the Department to ensure that they receive their correct rate of pension.”

The review relates to the pension payments of some 90,000 pensioners who reached pension age on or after 1 September 2012. These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision for time spent outside the workforce for parenting or caring reasons. The Department has already written to these pensioners to explain the review process.

Pensioners born on or after 1 September 1946, who have an entitlement to a reduced rate of State Pension (Contributory) and who have queries can contact 071 9113680 for information and assistance.

ENDS