Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993

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Conditions for receipt.

[1981, s. 93(1)]

101.—(1) The contribution conditions for widow's (contributory) pension are—

(a) that the husband had qualifying contributions in respect of not less than 156 contribution weeks in the period beginning with his entry into insurance and ending immediately before the relevant time, and

(b) that, if at the relevant time, 4 years or longer has elapsed since the husband's entry into insurance—

(i) the yearly average for the 3 contribution years, or (if warranted by his insurance record) 5 contribution years, ending with the end of the last complete contribution year before the relevant time is not less than 39, or

(ii) the yearly average in respect of the period commencing at the beginning of the contribution year in which his entry into insurance occurred and ending at the end of the last complete contribution year before the relevant time is not less than 48,

but, if those conditions are not satisfied on the husband's insurance record, they may be satisfied on the widow's insurance record (the husband's insurance record being disregarded).

[1981, s. 93(3)]

(2) Regulations may provide for modifications of the meaning of yearly average contained in section 100(5) or of the contribution conditions in this section.

[1981, s. 93(4)]

(3) Subject to subsection (4), regulations may provide for entitling to widow's (contributory) pension persons who would be entitled thereto but for the fact that the contribution condition set out in subsection (1)(b) is not satisfied.

[1981, s. 93(5)]

(4) Regulations for the purposes of subsection (3) shall provide that widow's (contributory) pension payable by virtue thereof shall be payable at a rate less than that specified in the Second Schedule, and the rates specified by the regulations may vary with the extent to which the contribution condition set out in subsection (1)(b) is satisfied, but any increase of benefit payable under section 105(1) shall be the same as if that condition had been fully satisfied.

[1993, s. 36(4)]

(5) Where a person becomes an employed contributor by virtue of paragraph (b) of section 9(1) and would not, apart from that paragraph, be an employed contributor, his entry into insurance by virtue thereof shall be deemed not to be an entry into insurance for the purposes of subsection (1) of this section and for those purposes his entry into insurance shall be deemed to occur when he first becomes an employed contributor by virtue of paragraph (a) of section 9(1).

[1981, s. 93(7)]

(6) (a) Entitlement to widow's (contributory) pension which is due to be determined by reference to the insurance record of a person who attained the age of 69 years before the 5th day of January, 1976, may be determined under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of July, 1974, if this would be to the advantage of the claimant.

(b) A widow who, under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of July, 1974, has been awarded widow's (contributory) pension on the basis of her own or her husband's insurance record at the date on which she or he attained the then pensionable age shall on and after the 1st day of July, 1974, have a right to such pension at the rate for the time being payable by reference to a yearly average equal to the yearly average calculated in her case under those provisions.

[1981, s. 93(8)]

(7) (a) Entitlement to widow's (contributory) pension which is due to be determined by reference to the insurance record of a person who attained the age of 68 years before the 3rd day of January, 1977, may be determined under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of April, 1975, if this would be to the advantage of the claimant.

(b) A widow who under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of April, 1975, has been awarded widow's (contributory) pension on the basis of her own or her husband's insurance record at the date on which she or he attained the then pensionable age shall on and after the 1st day of April, 1975, have a right to such pension at the rate for the time being payable by reference to a yearly average equal to the yearly average calculated in her case under those provisions.

[1981, s. 93(9)]

(8) (a) Entitlement to widow's (contributory) pension which is due to be determined by reference to the insurance record of a person who attained the age of 67 years before the 1st day of January, 1979, may be determined under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of October, 1977, if this would be to the advantage of the claimant.

(b) A widow who, under the provisions of the Acts relating to social welfare in operation prior to the 1st day of October, 1977, has been awarded widow's (contributory) pension on the basis of her own or her husband's insurance record at the date on which she or he attained the then pensionable age shall on and after the 1st day of October, 1977, have a right to such pension at the rate for the time being payable by reference to a yearly average equal to the yearly average calculated in her case under those provisions.

[1988, s. 30(b)]

(9) Subject to subsection (10), regulations may provide for entitling to widow's (contributory) pension a person who would be entitled thereto but for the fact that the contribution condition set out in subsection (1)(b) is not satisfied by reference to the insurance record of a person where that person, having earlier ceased to be an employed contributor became an employed contributor as a consequence of the coming into operation of section 12 of the Social Welfare Act, 1973 .

[1988, s. 30(b)]

(10) Regulations for the purposes of subsection (9) shall provide that widow's (contributory) pension payable by virtue thereof shall be payable at a rate less than that specified in the Second Schedule, and the rate specified by the regulations may vary with the extent to which the contribution condition set out in subsection (1)(b) is satisfied.