The living arrangements of pensioners who are single but have a partner are to come under extra scrutiny following concerns that some are being wrongly deemed to be couples.

Junior social affairs minister Jetta Klijnsma is to investigate how the rules on living together are applied, following complaints that some pensioners are treated as a couple even if they only spend a couple of nights together a week.

A single pensioner is entitled to a state pension of around €1,000 a month, but couples only get €1,400.