Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007

Number 8 of 2007

SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2007

REVISED

Updated to 9 January 2023

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Act 2022 (52/2022), enacted 21 December 2022, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Planning And Development And Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022 (Commencement) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 1 of 2023), made 9 January 2023, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.


Number 8 of 2007


SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2007

REVISED

Updated to 9 January 2023


ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART 1

Preliminary and General

Section

1. Short title, construction, collective citation and commencement.

2. Definitions.

PART 2

Amendments to Social Welfare Acts

3. Amendment to definition of volunteer development worker.

4. Child benefit — new rates.

5. Illness benefit — improvements.

6. Maternity benefit — improvements.

7. Adoptive benefit — improvements.

8. Jobseeker’s benefit — improvement.

9. Jobseeker’s allowance, pre-retirement allowance, disability allowance and farm assist — amendments to means provisions.

10. Cost of medical care — amendments.

11. Disqualifications from injury benefit or disablement benefit — amendment.

12. Carer’s benefit — entitlement to benefit.

13. State pension (contributory) — amendment.

14. Qualified adult increase — direct payment.

15. Entitlement for invalidity pension recipients — amendment.

16. Invalidity pension — amendment to entitlement to pension.

17. Guardian’s payment (contributory) and guardian’s payment (non-contributory) — amendments.

18. Bereavement grant — improvements.

19. Widowed parent grant — amendment.

20. Jobseeker’s allowance — improvement.

21. Pre-retirement allowance — amendments.

22. One-parent family payment — increase in earnings limit.

23. Relevant payments — conditions for receipt.

24. Payment of carer’s allowance in certain circumstances.

25. Supplementary welfare allowance — amendments.

26. Disability allowance — amendment to disqualification.

27. Child benefit — amendment.

28. Respite care grant — increase in grant and amendments.

29. Payments — amendment.

30. Habitual residence condition — amendment.

31. Disclosure of certain information.

32. Personal public service number — amendments.

33. Budgeting in relation to social welfare payments — amendment.

34. Appointment of deciding officers — amendment.

35. Schedule 3 — amendments.

36. Supplementary welfare allowance — calculation of means amendments.

PART 3

Amendments to Pensions Act 1990

37. Amendments to Pensions Act 1990.

PART 4

Miscellaneous Amendments to other Acts

38. Amendment to Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.

39. Attendance before Public Accounts Committee — amendments to other Acts.

SCHEDULE 1 (Repealed)

Amendments to Supplementary Welfare Allowance

SCHEDULE 2

Amendments to Pensions Act 1990

PART 1

Amendments relating to Trust Retirement Annuity Contracts

PART 2

Amendments relating to Fines and Penalties

PART 3

Miscellaneous Amendments

SCHEDULE 3

Attendance before Public Accounts Committee

PART 1

Amendment to Combat Poverty Agency Act 1986

PART 2

Amendment to Family Support Agency Act 2001



Number 8 of 2007


SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2007

REVISED

Updated to 9 January 2023


AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE SOCIAL WELFARE ACTS, THE PENSIONS ACT 1990, THE COMBAT POVERTY AGENCY ACT 1986, THE TAXES CONSOLIDATION ACT 1997 AND THE FAMILY SUPPORT AGENCY ACT 2001.

[30th March, 2007]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS: