If my mum gifts her second house, would she get non contributory pension?

I hope someone out there can give me some advice please!

Both my parents were self employed. Prior to my father's death in 2001, both my parents were in poor health and my Mum applied for and was given a pension. After my father passed away she sold the family business which was also their home and purchased two houses.She lives in one and lives off the rental income from the other house. She gave her pension book back and informed the relevant department that she was now in a position to look after herself financially.

Due to Rent Allowance reductions, she is now living on 215 euros a week.She is finding this very difficult, she has to maintain both houses, insure both houses, property tax x 2, medical insurance, bin charges x 2, utility bills and day to day living expenses. She has 15,000 euros savings approx in the Credit Union. The current market value of the rented house is not more than 100,000. My Mum is 84 years old.

I have two questions.

A) Is my mother entitled to a non contributory pension?

B) If my mother gifted the rented house to me or my sister, would she then be entitled to the non contributory pension?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

If she gives away the property, she would be considered to have deprived herself of an income, and it would be assessed against her anyway.
See point 2.6 here
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/spnc.aspx

Her means from the capital value of the house are likely to put her over the limit for the means test.

Is selling the rental home an option?

She is 84. She owns two houses outright.

She should sell the rented one now which will keep her going for a few years.

When she runs out of the money from this one, she can then sell her home.

Brendan

Thanks Berni.

Thanks Seantheman. It looks like this may be an option alrite.

Thanks Brendan. Yes, selling the rented house may be her only option. The house she is living in is willed to my older brother who lives with her and suffers from MS. She has willed the rented house to me and my sister. We have our own homes and it would not be a problem not to inherit but I know that it would upset her alot not to be able to leave the house to him. She doesn't spend alot and when she gave her pension back she was managing in just over 300 euros a week. It's the recession cuts that are effecting her I suppose. Anyway thanks to you all that replied to my post! S.

clonbur said:

I hope someone out there can give me some advice please!

Both my parents were self employed. Prior to my father's death in 2001, both my parents were in poor health and my Mum applied for and was given a pension.

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Is she not entitled to a contributory pension?

She had a pension but handed the book back in, why is she not entitled to it now, why would she not be entitled to the widows pension automatically