Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 163

Entitlement to pension

Section 163 sets out the conditions for non-contributory pensions for bereaved partners, including widows, widowers, surviving civil partners and surviving qualified cohabitants.

• Pensions are available to bereaved partners who have not yet reached pensionable age.
• The pension ceases if the beneficiary marries, remarries, enters into a civil partnership or a new civil partnership, or becomes (or again becomes) a qualified cohabitant.
• Eligibility requires the claimant to be habitually resident in the State.
• A surviving qualified cohabitant may claim the pension where the death of their cohabitant occurs on or after the passing of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025.

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