WIDOW’S EARNINGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26849, 13 August 1948, Page 4

WIDOW’S EARNINGS

REDUCIBLE AT SIXTY ANOMALOUS SITUATION What appears to be an anomaly in the social security legislation in so far as it affects widows' pensions, has been brought to the notice of the Daily Times by a correspondent who points out that such a pensioner under ,60 years of age is permitted to have an income of £7B a year apart from the pension but that upon attaining the age of 60 she is allowed an income of only £52 a year. The age benefit and the widows’ pension are the same, that is, £2 5s a week. The position is correctly stated by our correspondent, and is as set out in section 2 of the 1946 amendment to the Social Security Act.

Apparently it is assumed by the 'framers of the Act that a widow may have liabilities not borne by an age beneficiary, and therefore they have permitted the former to earn another 10s a week without such earnings affecting the pension. It can only be surmised that the assumption is carried a step further and that the belief is held by the Government that this liability ceases when the widow reaches the age of 60 years. Her pension is then exactly the same as that of the age beneficiary, but her allowable earnings are brought into line with those of the latter. This reduction in allowable income doubtless imposes a hardship on many widows, especially as the amount of the pension is small and a number must carry considerable financial responsibility beyond the age of 60 years.