Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960
I gCúrsaí Gearr
This law amends and expands existing social welfare and old age pension laws, primarily introducing and detailing provisions for an old age (contributory) pension. It adjusts rules for contributions, benefits, and how certain pensions are administered.
Cad a Rialálann sé
- The introduction and conditions for an old age (contributory) pension.
- The rates for voluntary contributions for different types of social welfare insurance.
- Increases in benefits for adult dependants and for qualified children.
- The return of contributions paid in error, specifically for old age (contributory) pension.
Cé dó a Bhaineann sé
- Individuals who are or will be eligible for social welfare benefits, particularly those approaching pensionable age.
- Voluntary contributors to social welfare schemes.
Príomhphointí
- A new "old age (contributory) pension" is introduced for persons who have attained pensionable age and satisfy relevant contribution conditions.
- Voluntary contributions are set at two shillings and sixpence or four shillings and ninepence per contribution week, depending on the type of insurance.
- The weekly rate of old age (contributory) pension can be increased for a spouse who is a dependant.
- Regulations may allow for a reduced old age (contributory) pension if contribution conditions are not fully met regarding the average number of contributions.
Legal text
Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.
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- s)or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1960 Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960 Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1960 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 25 of 1960. SOCIAL WELFARE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1960. ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section 1. Interpretation. 2. Extension of section 3 of Principal Act (general provisions as to regulations). 3. Amendment of section 6 of Principal Act (contributions generally). 4. Amendment of section 9 of Principal Act (return of sums paid in error by way of contributions). 5. Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act (descriptions and rates of benefit and contribution conditions). 6. Amendment of section 22 of Principal Act (widow's (contributory) pension). 7. Old age (contributory) pension. 8. Amendment of section 26 of Principal Act (increase of benefit for adult dependants). 9. Amendment of section 27 of Principal Act (increase of benefit for qualified child or each of two qualified children). 10. Partial satisfaction of contribution conditions for old age (contributory) pension. 11. Amendment of section 37 of Principal Act (special provisions for voluntary contributors). 12. Amendment of section 47 of Principal Act (administration of benefit). 13. Transitional provisions in relation to contribution conditions. 14. Amendment of Second Schedule to Principal Act (rates of employment contributions). 15. Amendment of Third Schedule to Principal Act (rate or amount of benefit). 16. Amendment of Fourth Schedule to Principal Act (contribution conditions). 17. Special provision for existing voluntary contributors. 18. Power to modify or wind-up existing schemes and arrangements for the provision of superannuation and redundancy payments. 19. Overlapping benefits. 20. Disqualifications for pensions under Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1959. 21. Widow's (contributory) pension for certain widows of pensionable age before commencement of this section. 22. Power to remove difficulties. 23. Repeals. 24. Short title, construction, collective citation and commencement. Acts Referred to Social Welfare Act, 1952 1952, No. 11 Social Welfare (Modifications of Insurance) Regulations, 1956 1956, S.I. No. 236 Social Welfare (Amendment) Act, 1956 1956, No. 24 National Insurance Act, 1911 1911, c. 55 Number 25 of 1960. SOCIAL WELFARE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1960. AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE SOCIAL WELFARE ACTS, 1952 TO 1958, AND THE OLD AGE PENSIONS ACTS, 1908 TO 1959. [26th July, 1960.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:— Interpretation. 1.—
- a)references therein to a power to make regulations included references to any power to make regulations under this Act, and (
- b)references therein to regulations included references to any regulations under this Act. Amendment of section 6 of Principal Act (contributions generally). 3.—Section 6 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for subsection
- a)in case they were, immediately before ceasing to be employed contributors, insured under this Act for the purposes only of widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance but of no other benefit, of two shillings and sixpence for a contribution week, and (
- b)in case they were, immediately before ceasing to be employed contributors, insured under this Act for the purposes of widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance and of other benefits, of four shillings and ninepence for a contribution week, in the case of both male voluntary contributors and of female voluntary contributors.” Amendment of section 9 of Principal Act (return of sums paid in error by way of contributions). 4.—Section 9 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the addition at the end thereof of “and of so much of any contribution paid by an employed contributor or a voluntary contributor whose entry into insurance occurred after he had attained the age of sixty as is determined in accordance with the regulations to have been paid in respect of old age (contributory) pension.” Amendment of section 14 of Principal Act (descriptions and rates of benefit and contribution conditions). 5.—Section 14 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the addition at the end of subsection
- a)the beneficiary is living with or wholly or mainly maintaining his wife, or (
- b)the beneficiary is wholly or mainly maintaining her husband who is incapable of self-support by reason of some physical or mental infirmity, and which is not a period in respect of which the spouse of the beneficiary is in receipt of old age (contributory) pension.
- a)Subject to the provisions of the Acts and to the subsequent provisions of this subsection, on the death of a person to whom an old age (contributory) pension was payable at an increased weekly rate by virtue of this section in respect of a period ending on such death, the wife or husband, as the case may be, shall be entitled to benefit the weekly rate of which is equal to the amount of the increase of the weekly rate of the aforesaid old age (contributory) pension. (
- b)Benefit under this subsection shall not be payable for any period after the remarriage of the person to whom it had been payable. (
- c)A person shall be disqualified for receiving benefit under this subsection if and so long as the person and any other person are cohabiting as married persons. (
- d)Where, but for the provisions of this paragraph, benefit under this subsection and widow's (non-contributory) pension under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1959, or widow's (contributory) pension or old age (contributory) pension would be payable to a person in respect of any period— (
- i)benefit under this subsection shall not be payable in respect of that period unless the rate thereof is equal to or greater than the rate of the pension, and (
- ii)the pension shall not be payable in respect of that period unless the rate thereof is greater than the rate of benefit under this subsection.” Amendment of section 27 of Principal Act (increase of benefit for qualified child or each of two qualified children). 9.—Section 27 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by— (
- a)the insertion in subsection
- i)the insertion of “3A,” after “paragraphs 2, 3,” (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) in paragraph 1 thereof, (
- ii)the substitution of “4s. 6d.” for “2s. 9d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) and of “3s. 5d.” for “1s. 8d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) in subparagraph (
- a)of the said paragraph 1, (iii) the substitution of “4s. 6d.” for “2s. 9d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) and of “4s. 2d.” for “2s. 5d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) in subparagraph (
- b)of the said paragraph 1, (
- iv)the substitution of “2s. 6d.” for “1s. 7d.” (inserted in both subparagraphs by the Act of 1956) in subparagraphs (
- a)and (
- b)of paragraph 2 thereof, (
- v)the deletion in paragraph 3 thereof of “or domestic service” and the substitution of “1s. 9d.” for “11d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) in subparagraph (
- a)of the said paragraph 3 and of “2s. 6d.” for “1s. 7d.” (inserted by the Act of 1956) in subparagraph (
- b)of the said paragraph 3, (
- vi)the insertion after the said paragraph 3 of the following paragraph: “3A. In case the employment is of a female employed contributor and is mainly in domestic service, there shall be special rate employment contributions as follows: (
- a)payable by the employed contributor: 2s. 6d. (
- b)payable by the employer: 3s. 3d.”, (vii) the substitution of “1s. 3d.” for “1s. 0d.” in subparagraphs (
- a)and (
- b)of paragraph 4 (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) thereof, (viii) the substitution of “1s. 3d.” for “1s. 0d.” in subparagraph (
- b)of paragraph 5 (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) thereof, (
- ix)the substitution of “2s. 9d.” for “1s. 0d.” in subparagraph (
- a)of paragraph 6 (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) thereof, (
- x)the substitution of “4s. 2d.” for “2s. 5d.” in subparagraph (
- b)of the said paragraph 6, (
- xi)the substitution of “2s. 9d.” for “1s. 0d.” in subparagraph (
- a)of paragraph 7 (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) thereof, and (xii) the substitution of “3s. 3d.” for “1s. 6d.” in subparagraph (
- b)of the said paragraph 7.
- a)in the case of persons over the age of eighteen— (
- i)for a man, single woman or widow, married woman living apart from and unable to obtain any financial assistance from her husband or married woman entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children or for a husband 32½ 20 10 5 (
- ii)for any other married woman 24½ — — — (
- b)in the case of persons under the age of eighteen— where the person is entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children or for an adult dependant 32½ 20 10 5 where the person is not so entitled 24½ — — — 2. Maternity Allowance 35 — — — 3. Widow's (contributory) Pension: where the widow is entitled to an increase for a qualified child or qualified children 35 — 10 5 where the widow is not so entitled 32½ — — — 4. Orphan's (contributory) Allowance 20 — — — 5. Old Age (contributory) Pension 40 28½ — — ” Amendment of Fourth Schedule to Principal Act (contribution conditions). 16.—The Fourth Schedule to the Principal Act is hereby amended by— (
- a)the insertion in paragraph 1 thereof after “paragraph 3” of “or 3A”, (
- b)the substitution for the definition of “relevant time” in paragraph 4 thereof of the following definition: “relevant time” means— (
- i)the date of the husband's attaining pensionable age or dying under that age, or (
- ii)if the conditions are being satisfied on the widow's insurance record— (I) the date of the husband's death, or (II) if the widow attained pensionable age before the date of the husband's death, the date of the widow's attaining pensionable age, and (
- c)the addition at the end thereof of the following paragraph: “6. Old age (contributory) pension. The contribution conditions for an old age (contributory) pension are— (
- a)that the claimant has entered insurance before attaining the age of sixty, (
- b)that not less than one hundred and fifty-six employment contributions have been paid in respect of the claimant since his entry into insurance, and (
- c)that the average per contribution year of the contributions paid in respect of or credited to the claimant in respect of the period beginning at the beginning of the contribution year in which the claimant's entry into insurance occurred and ending at the end of the last complete contribution year before the date of his attaining pensionable age is not less than forty-eight, but employment contributions under paragraphs 4 and 5 (inserted by the Regulations of 1956) of the Second Schedule to this Act paid in respect of the claimant shall be disregarded in determining for the purposes of the foregoing conditions the number of contributions which have been paid in respect of the claimant.” Special provision for existing voluntary contributors. 17.—
- b)who, immediately before ceasing to be an employed contributor, was insured under the Principal Act for the purposes only of widow's (contributory) pension and orphan's (contributory) allowance but of no other benefit, or (
- c)who, having been a person to whom section 70 of the Principal Act applied, had, immediately before becoming insured voluntarily under the National Insurance Act, 1911, been insured only under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Acts, 1935 to 1952. Power to modify or wind-up existing schemes and arrangements for the provision of superannuation and redundancy payments. 18.—(
- a)Any scheme or arrangement for the provision of pensions, compensation for redundancy or other benefits (including any scheme or arrangement established or provided by or under, or having statutory force by virtue of, any enactment and any scheme evidenced only by one or more policies of insurance) may be modified, and (
- b)any such scheme or arrangement other than a scheme or arrangement for the provision of compensation for redundancy may be wound-up, in connection with the establishment under the Acts of a system for the provision of old age (contributory) pensions either— (
- i)by agreement between the different parties concerned in the scheme or arrangement, or (
- ii)in accordance with regulations made, after consideration of any representations that may be made by the different parties concerned in the scheme or arrangement, by such Minister as may be determined by the Minister for Finance to be appropriate in relation to the scheme or arrangement or, if the Minister for Finance determines that there is no appropriate Minister, by the Minister for Industry and Commerce. Overlapping benefits. 19.—
- a)in course of payment immediately before the commencement of this section, or (
- b)awarded after the commencement of this section in respect of a period ending immediately before the commencement of this section, shall, subject to the provisions of the Acts, be entitled to widow's (contributory) pension as on and from the commencement of this section. Power to remove difficulties. 22.—