Homemaker’s Scheme

Learn more about Budget 2025 measures.

The Homemaker’s Scheme makes it easier for a homemaker to qualify for a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory) when you reach pension age.

The Homemaker's Scheme was introduced on 6 April 1994 to support people who give up work to take care of a child under the age of 12 or an incapacitated person. Only periods after this date can be taken into account, up to a maximum of 20 years.

A homemaker, under the Homemaker’s Scheme, is someone who provides full-time care for either:

• a child under 12
• a person over 12 who is incapacitated and requires full time care

A full tax year spent as a homemaker can be disregarded in the calculation of the yearly average for State Pension (Contributory).

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
• have started insurable employment or self-employment on or after the age of 16 and before the age of 56
• not have been in employment, self-employment, voluntary work, training or education courses which add up to more than 18.5 hours a week

If you do not live with the person you care for

If you do not live with the person you care for, you must have:

• a direct system of communication between your home and the person being cared for, for example a phone or alarm system
• a person being cared for not getting full-time care and attention within their own home from anyone else

The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to need continual supervision either:

• to avoid danger to himself or herself
• at frequent intervals assistance throughout the day in connection with their normal personal needs

You can backdate your application if there is a genuine reason for a delay in making your claim.

A homemaking year is a year in which you are out of the workforce for the full tax year. Your social insurance (PRSI) record does not take this year into account – it is disregarded.

Up to a maximum of 20 homemaking years can be disregarded which may help you to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory).

For example, if you started working at 16 and you reach pension age at 66, this is a 50 year working career. All 50 years are counted for pension purposes. When your pension is being worked out, your total social insurance (PRSI) contributions over your working life will be averaged out over those 50 years.

But if you left the workforce for 16 years and you were an approved homemaker for that time, your pension is worked out in a different way. Your total contributions are divided out over 34 years (50 years minus 16 years in the workforce). So, your pension average does not disadvantage you for the time you cared for a child or incapacitated adult.

Homemaker’s credits

As only a full year can be disregarded, Homemaker Scheme credits are awarded for a period of caring which is less than a full year and for part of a year at the start and/or end of a caring period.

The quickest way to apply for Homemakers 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:

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

Operational Guidelines: Homemaker's Scheme.