(LRC Revised)

Number 8 of 2007

SOCIAL WELFARE AND PENSIONS ACT 2007

REVISED

Updated to 9 January 2023

Changes to legislation

as of 10 July 2026, this Act is up to date with all changes known to be in force.

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

Acts Referred to

Adoptive Leave Act 1995

1995, No. 2

Child Care Act 1991

1991, No. 17

Combat Poverty Agency Act 1986

1986, No. 14

Comptroller and Auditor General (Amendment) Act 1993

1993, No. 8

Family Support Agency Act 2001

2001, No. 54

Health Contributions Act 1979

1979, No. 4

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992

1992, No. 12

Maternity Protection Act 1994

1994, No. 34

Pensions Act 1990

1990, No. 25

Pensions Acts 1990 to 2006

Pensions (Amendment) Act 1996

1996, No. 18

Social Welfare Act 2005

2005, No. 30

Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005

2005, No. 4

Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005

2005, No. 26

Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Act 2006

2006, No. 5

Taxes Consolidation Act 1997

1997, No. 39

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.

[30

th March

, 2007]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS

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