Senator Frank Feighan has welcomed this week’s start of the Telephone Support Allowance (TSA), the first payment of which is to be issued by this Friday, June 8th 2018.
“This allowance will be worth €130a year and is aimed at helping with the cost of communications and home alert solutions like monitored burglar alarms.
“The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people access to personal alarms or phones for security.
“The allowance will also encourage social contact and assist in the prevention of social isolation for those living alone.
“The qualifying schemes for the Telephone Support Allowance are :
• State Pension (Contributory and Non-Contributory)
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension
• Invalidity Pension
• Disability Allowance
• Blind Pension
• Disablement Pension (Incapacity Supplement)
• Deserted Wife’s Benefit
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension under the Occupational Injuries Scheme.
“There is no application process and eligible householders will receive it automatically as an additional sum on top of their regular weekly payment. It is expected that more than 124,000 customers will qualify for the scheme and the estimated full year cost is €16.14 million.
