Married couple -state pensions

Milton09

Folks, can anyone answer the following:-
Married couple, both over 66
Husband – receives contributory state pension
Wife – receives non-contributory state pension
For the wife to qualify for the non-contributory state pension:
a) What is the max. savings they can have in the bank?
b) What is the max. annual combined income through employment they can have?
Thank you

mp22

The wife would in my opinion be better off as a dependent adult on the contributory pension,ie no savings limit,there would also be no limit on income.

However see here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_non_contributory.html

gud

Wrong- there is a means test for QA on a Spouse's SPC. Its only the main person who receives the SPC who can have other means without effecting the payment.

SPNC threshold for a couple is €40,000 capital.
Insurable employment has a €200 disregard
Occ Pension/Self Employment no disregards, income fully assesable

Milton09

gud wrote: »

Wrong- there is a means test for QA on a Spouse's SPC. Its only the main person who receives the SPC who can have other means without effecting the payment.

SPNC threshold for a couple is €40,000 capital.
Insurable employment has a €200 disregard
Occ Pension/Self Employment no disregards, income fully assesable

Thanks for the reply, this is the bit I'm unclear about. Does this mean

40K capital AND 200 each per week disregard

OR does it mean

40K capital OR 200 each per week disregard?

gud

you can have the €40,000 capital and insurable employment of €200 per week and you would get max rate State Pens Non Con as the employment is covered by the €200 disregard. The other spouse can earn €200 per week also in insurable employment and still get max rate pension.

but if only one spouse works and gets say €400 per week you only get the €200 disregard as the other spouses disregard cant be transferred.

hopr this helps.

wmpdd3

gud wrote: »

Wrong- there is a means test for QA on a Spouse's SPC. Its only the main person who receives the SPC who can have other means without effecting the payment.

SPNC threshold for a couple is €40,000 capital.
Insurable employment has a €200 disregard
Occ Pension/Self Employment no disregards, income fully assesable

Thank you for this, we have spent weeks trying to get this information for my parents.

wellieboot

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/248_State-Pension-Non-Contributory.aspx