HomeCaring Periods

HomeCaring Periods make it easier for you as a home carer to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory) when you reach pension age at 66.

Periods of time when you were caring for someone can be included in your social insurance record.

A Home Caring credit may be awarded for each week during which you were not employed, including self-employment, in receipt of a social welfare payment, or otherwise signing on for credits as you were providing full-time care for:

• a child or children under 12 years
• a person who needed an increased level of care

Note: HomeCaring Periods will only apply where both you, and the person you were caring for, were resident in the Irish State. You must have been aged between 16 and pension age at the time you provided the care, in order to qualify for a HomeCaring credit.

HomeCaring Periods can only be used under the new Item was unpublished or removed of pension calculation.

If you were born after 31 August 1946 and you have cared for someone full-time, you can apply for a HomeCaring Period.

To qualify, you must:

• permanently live in the State (except where EU or posted worker), further information on an EU or posted worker is available here
• have been aged over 16 and under pension age at the time you provided care
• not have been in employment, self-employment, voluntary work, training or education courses which add up to more than 18.5 hours a week, further guidance on part time employment/training and conditions outlined here

A HomeCaring period may be awarded for each week not already covered by a paid or credited social insurance contribution, where you were providing full-time care for:

• a child or children under 12 years,
• a person who needed an increased level of care.

There are no direct payments for periods spent as a home carer. Homecaring periods will be included during the calculation of your State Pension (Contributory), which may result in a higher rate of Pension.

The quickest way to apply for Homecaring period is online at MyWelfare.ie. You must have a verified MyGovID account to use MyWelfare.ie.

You can request an application form by contacting us at :

Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.

• Operational Guidelines: HomeCaring Periods