Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 161C

Increases including increases for one of a couple

Section 161C sets out the circumstances in which the weekly rate of blind pension may be increased, and specifies when certain increases are not payable.

• The basic weekly blind pension may be increased where the recipient lives with or mainly supports a spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant who has not yet reached pensionable age, with the amount calculated in accordance with Part 3 of Schedule 4.
• A recipient who lives alone qualifies for an additional weekly amount as set out in column (6) of Part 1 of Schedule 4.
• A recipient who ordinarily resides on an island off the coast of Ireland qualifies for an additional weekly amount as set out in column (8) of Part 1 of Schedule 4.
• The increase for a spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant is not payable where that person is already receiving social welfare benefits or participating in certain employment or training schemes.