Disability allowance (formerly disabled person's maintenance allowance) is paid up to 66 years, at which stage a person becomes eligible for the old age (non-contributory) pension. Under the old age (non-contributory) pension scheme, means are generally assessed on a more favourable basis than they are under other social assistance schemes, including disability allowance. Accordingly, a person who had been in receipt of disability allowance would, in the normal course, qualify for the old age (non-contributory) pension on reaching 66 years, the rate of which would generally be higher than that which they had been receiving while on disability allowance.
However, there will be some cases where a person would qualify for an old age pension at a lower rate than disability allowance. For instance, a person's income position can change on reaching pension age, e.g. they or their spouse may qualify for an occupational pension or a social security pension from another State. Such income would be assessable for old age pension purposes.
I am also aware that there are a small number of cases where claimants for the old age (non-contributory) pension may be assessed with higher means than under the disability allowance scheme. This arises because of variations in the operation of the former disabled person's maintenance allowance scheme prior to its take-over by my Department.