Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 Schedule 3 Part 3

Means test - State pension (non-contributory)

Schedule 3 Part 3 sets out the detailed rules for calculating a person's means (financial resources) when determining eligibility for, and the rate of, the State Pension (Non-Contributory).

• Property and investments: The weekly value of property that generates income or could be used productively is assessed, but property personally used or enjoyed, and leased farmland, are treated differently
• Cash income with disregards: All expected cash income is counted, but numerous exclusions apply including maintenance payments (subject to limits), certain agricultural and forestry scheme payments, and income from schemes for blind persons
• Couples and deprivation: For couples living together, means are split equally; if someone deliberately disposes of assets to qualify for pension, those assets can still be counted
• Special protections: Sale proceeds from a principal residence are excluded (subject to conditions), and increases in other pensions are protected from causing disproportionate reductions in the State Pension