Widows Pension

Zelda247

My husband died recently and up until he died we were getting the following:

UK state pension (he was a UK Citizen) 156 pounds per week
2/3 Irish Pension 150 euro per week (he worked in Ireland for many years) plus qualified adult payment for me of 100 euros

I worked in Ireland for 10 years and then for 20 in the UK and I am 59. To cut a long story short my Irish state widows pension has been worked out at 69 euros per week... needless to say I can't live on that. The UK now don't do a Widow's pension only a Bereavement Allowance of 100 per month for 1 year.

I phoned Pensions in Sligo who were very unhelpful and said that is all I am getting and they have taken into account my husbands and my UK contributions as well, it just seems very unfair to go from an income of 450 per week to 69 euros.

Atlantic Dawn

Sorry for your loss.

Are they means testing you, do you have other income? Otherwise I would have thought with no other income you would qualify for the full widows non contributory pension. Perhaps they think in error your still getting the UK pension?

Zelda247

No, not means testing as I have some savings so I don't want to be means tested.

Atlantic Dawn

Zelda247 wrote: »

No, not means testing as I have some savings so I don't want to be means tested.

Ask them to send you a breakdown of all your husbands PRSI contributions to see if they tally with what you believe he has contributed.

splinter65

Zelda247 wrote: »

No, not means testing as I have some savings so I don't want to be means tested.

Sorry for your trouble.
I’m guessing your husband was a pensioner aged 66+?
Your issue is that you are not an old age pensioner.
You are still of working age, which means you are considered capable of getting a job, unless you have health issues which mean you can’t.
If you don’t want to be means tested then there’s nothing can be done except to live on your savings until such time as they are depleted enough that you will need to apply.

Zelda247

Yes that is correct Splinter, I will have to get job hunting, dreading it.

SCOOP 64

As you will be looking for work could you not sign on in mean time?, will be more then €69 a week if you get it,
(But there again might be back to being mean tested)

Zelda247

I don't want to end up being means tested so will avoid it if I can.

Also, I need some stamps for my old age pension so it is best to get some kind of job if I can.

splinter65

Zelda247 wrote: »

I don't want to end up being means tested so will avoid it if I can.

Also, I need some stamps for my old age pension so it is best to get some kind of job if I can.

Zelda if you haven’t paid any stamps here before age 57 then any you pay now won’t count.

Zelda247

I have 10 years of stamps in Ireland and 20 in the UK

splinter65

Zelda247 wrote: »

I have 10 years of stamps in Ireland and 20 in the UK

Oh that’s good. I hope you find a job that suits you. Onwards and upwards!

Plugguy

Zelda247 wrote: »

Yes that is correct Splinter, I will have to get job hunting, dreading it.

You can continue to receive your Widow's Pension (Contributory) and work.

Zelda247

If I can't manage to get a job because of my age I wonder if I can do a CE scheme?

Plugguy

Zelda247 wrote: »

If I can't manage to get a job because of my age I wonder if I can do a CE scheme?

If you are on Widow's Pension for at least 12 months you will be eligible for CE.
The sponsors of the CE will pay you the equivalent of your pension plus €20 per week. You won't get both your pension and the CE payment per week, as would have been the case before 2012.

I thought the lowest rate of Widow's Pension (Contributory) for those aged under 66 years is €193.00 per week. Have a look here (scroll down to the 'Rates' section) http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/death_related_benefits/widows_contrib_pension.html

I think you really should call into your nearest Citizens Information Centre and ask them about it.

Zelda247

I did check with Citizens Advice and it is all correct unfortunately. It is a shame about the CE scheme but I am not working 20 hours for 20 euros to have a total income of 89 euros per week.

maryk123

Can I ask how much savings in or around 20,000 or more as you could be means tested and a couple of Euro taken off of you.

Zelda247

Apparently i can do a CE scheme and get 220 per week (this means giving up the widows pension), does anyone know if you get a stamp when doing the scheme or would it be a waste of time in terms of getting stamps for the old age pension?

Squatter

Zelda247 wrote: »

Apparently i can do a CE scheme and get 220 per week (this means giving up the widows pension), does anyone know if you get a stamp when doing the scheme or would it be a waste of time in terms of getting stamps for the old age pension?

Yes you do. CE participants pay PRSI at Class A8/A9 which counts as a full Class A contribution.

Zelda247

Squatter wrote: »

Yes you do. CE participants pay PRSI at Class A8/A9 which counts as a full Class A contribution.

Thank you so much.

Plugguy

Zelda247 wrote: »

Apparently i can do a CE scheme and get 220 per week (this means giving up the widows pension), does anyone know if you get a stamp when doing the scheme or would it be a waste of time in terms of getting stamps for the old age pension?

Can I ask where did you find out that you can do a CE Scheme and give up you widow's pension?

yabadabado

Zelda247 wrote: »

I don't want to end up being means tested so will avoid it if I can.

Also, I need some stamps for my old age pension so it is best to get some kind of job if I can.

Why would you not be means tested?
Seems a strange move if you want to avail of a pension/benefit.

Zelda247

Plugguy wrote: »

Can I ask where did you find out that you can do a CE Scheme and give up you widow's pension?

The Pension Dept in Sligo told me.

Zelda247

yabadabado wrote: »

Why would you not be means tested?
Seems a strange move if you want to avail of a pension/benefit.

I am a recent widow and need to sell my house so that money would be taken into consideration when means tested.