Introduction

Deserted Wife's Benefit and Deserted Wife’s Allowance are two social welfare payments made to women who were deserted by their husbands. Both of these payments were closed to new applications in January 1997, when the One-Parent Family Payment was introduced. Some women have continued to get Deserted Wife’s Benefit or Deserted Wife’s Allowance because they qualified for the payment before the 2 January 1997 and have continued to meet the qualifying criteria.

Deserted Wife's Benefit is a payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. Entitlement to the payment is based on social insurance contributions paid by the woman or her husband. If you (not your husband) have paid enough PRSI contributions you can transfer to State Pension (Transition) when you reach 65 years of age. State Pension (Transition) is paid at a higher rate than Deserted Wife's Benefit. Women getting Deserted Wife’s Benefit can also transfer to the State Pension (Contributory) when they reach 66 years of age.

If you had to transfer from Deserted Wife’s Benefit to One-Parent Family Payment in order to be accepted as a participant on a Community Employment Scheme, you can now apply to have your entitlement to Deserted Wife's Benefit restored. The maximum weekly rate of payment for Deserted Wife’s Benefit is higher than the maximum weekly rate of One-Parent Family Payment. If you qualify to have your entitlement to Deserted Wife’s Benefit restored you may also be due arrears.

Deserted Wife’s Allowance is a means-tested payment for women under 66 years of age, who have no dependent children and who were deserted by their husband and who do not qualify for Deserted Wife’s Benefit. Women getting Deserted Wife’s Allowance will automatically transfer to State Pension (Non-Contributory) when they reach 66 years of age.