State Pension (Contributory)

State Pension (Contributory) is a weekly payment based on your social insurance contribution record. It is available from age 66.

You should apply for State Pension (Contributory) if you have ever worked in Ireland and paid any social insurance contributions.

There are different rates of payment depending on your contribution record and other circumstances. It is not a means tested payment so your payment will not be impacted by any additional income you may have.

State Pension (Contributory) is subject to tax, but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.

If you have worked or lived in other countries, such as the UK, you might still qualify for State Pension (Contributory), even if you do not qualify based on contributions paid in Ireland.

What’s new in 2024

• from 1 January 2024, if you have been awarded 1040 weeks (20 years) Long-Term Carers Contributions, they will be used in calculating your entitlement to State Pension (Contributory) in the case of all new applicants

Long-Term Carers Contributions, can also be used to re-assess entitlement to, or rate of, State Pension (Contributory) if you were 66 prior to 2024. Any arising entitlement, or increase in rate that results, will be backdated to 1st January 2024.

• if you were born during or after 1958:

you can choose a date between age 66 and 70 to access any State Pension (Contributory) entitlement you may have. A higher rate of State Pension (Contributory) is payable to those accessing State Pension (Contributory) between ages 67 and 70. Click here for more information

You will not be liable to pay PRSI once you are in receipt of State Pension (Contributory) (for those who access State Pension (Contributory) before age 70).

What’s new in 2025

If you are accessing State Pension (Contributory) in 2025 and later, there will be a change in how the rate of State Pension (Contributory) is calculated.

This is in line with the 10-year phased removal of the yearly average calculation method, so that all pensions will be calculated using only the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) by 2034.

In general you will qualify for State Pension (Contributory) if you:

• are aged 66 or over
• have between 520 and 2080, or more, reckonable contributions (of which 520 must be full-rate social insurance (PRSI) contributions)

If you do not meet these criteria, you may also be eligible for State Pension (Contributory) if you have:

• at least 260 full-rate contributions and ever worked as a civil or public servant
• worked in another EU/EEA country or in a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement

Full Rate Employment contributions

If you paid Class A social insurance (PRSI) contributions, these are counted as full-rate contributions for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.

Class A contributions were called Ordinary contributions before 1979.

Self-employed contributions

The self-employed pay PRSI contributions at a Class S rate and these contributions are full-rate contributions for State Pension (Contributory) purposes. Social insurance (PRSI) contributions for self-employed people were introduced on 6 April 1988.

State Pension (Contributory) will only be paid from the date on which all self-employment contributions have been paid in full (apart from the last full contribution year before your drawdown date).

Long-Term Carers Contributions (LTCC)

Any period in which you are registered as providing care to an incapacitated person can be included in your social insurance (PRSI) record. These Long-Term Carers Contributions can be used in your State Pension (Contributory) assessment once you have reached a minimum of 1040 weeks (20 years). They are considered full-rate contributions for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.

If you qualified for State Pension (Contributory) prior to 2024 and you have been awarded Long-Term Carers Contributions, any impact on your rate of, or entitlement to, State Pension (Contributory), will be effective from 1st January 2024.

Learn more about PRSI contributions.

Social insurance paid in another country

If you have worked or lived in other countries, such as the UK, you might still qualify for State Pension (Contributory), even if you do not qualify based on contributions paid in Ireland.

You may get a proportion of a full pension (a pro rata pension) if you paid social insurance contributions in another country.

The country that you worked in must:

• be covered by EC Regulations
• OR have a two-way Social Security Agreement to satisfy the 520 (260) paid contributions requirement

If you live or intend to live outside the State

If you live or plan to live outside the State, the department can pay your pension into an Irish account or into an account in the country you choose to live in.

Your payment is made up of a personal rate plus any increase or allowances which you may be due.

Personal Rate

Once you meet the qualification criteria, the rate of payment you get depends on the number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions you have made.

Having at least 2080 full rate contributions will result in the maximum rate of State Pension (Contributory) being awarded.

If you have less than 2080 full rate contributions, reduced rates may apply. However, in deciding on the rate of payment, consideration will also be given to time you spent out of work due to:

• unemployment
• illness
• caring for children aged 12 or under at the time the care was provided
• caring for a person who needed an increased level of care or
• other eligible activities

When you submit your State Pension (Contributory) application form, the department will assess your entitlement using all available calculation methods to ensure you are paid the highest rate possible.

Learn more about how the department calculates your pension rate and the rate of pensions paid.

Increases and allowances

Increases or allowances which may be due to you are:

• a Living Alone Increase
• an Age 80 Allowance (A higher rate of pension is payable to a pensioner aged 80 or over. The increase is paid automatically - there is no need to apply)
• an Increased rate for a Qualified Adult (Usually your spouse or civil partner. This is means tested)
• a Child Support Payment (previously known as Increase for a Qualified Child) (if your child meets certain conditions. This is means tested)
• a Fuel Allowance (this is means tested)
• a Telephone Support Allowance
• an Increase for Living on a Specified Island

Learn more about how the department calculates your pension rate and the rate of pensions paid.

To help estimate the rate of State Pension (Contributory) you may receive, you can request a copy of your Contribution Statement on MyWelfare.ie.

Your Contribution Statement is a summary of your social insurance (PRSI) record contributions in Ireland.

To access services on MyWelfare.ie, you will need a verified MyGovID account.

Details of how to use your Contributions Statement to estimate the rate of State Pension (Contributory) you might receive are available.

Choosing when to apply for State Pension (Contributory)

If you were born on or after 1 January 1958, you can choose the date you which to access any State Pension (Contributory) entitlement you may have, to be a date between the age of 66 and 70.

There are no changes to the minimum qualification criteria for State Pension (Contributory), but by choosing to apply later than age 66, you can improve your social insurance record with additional full rate contributions to:

• meet the minimum qualification criteria for State Pension (Contributory), if you did not do so at age 66, or
• increase your rate of State Pension (Contributory) by applying later than age 66.

In addition, if you access State Pension (Contributory) after age 66, your rate of payment will be calculated using an actuarially increased rate of payment, depending on your age when you access State Pension (Contributory).

You do not have to notify the department that you are claiming at a later date.

When you make your application, you will let us know the date you want to start receiving State Pension (Contributory). Your entitlement starts on your chosen claim date. If your chosen claim date is in the past, the date entered should be no more than 6 months before we receive your application form. No payment will be made for periods before this. The department will use your social insurance (PRSI) record up to your chosen claim date to decide on your entitlement to State Pension (Contributory), and to determine the rate to be awarded.

We recommend you apply for State Pension (Contributory) six months before you wish to start claiming your pension.

The quickest and easiest way to apply for State pension is through MyWelfare. All you need is a verified MyGovID account. You can get verified MyGovID account if you have a Public Service Card, a verified mobile phone number and an email address.

Learn how to sign up for MyGovID here.

Learn how to apply on MyWelfare

Alternatively, you can print and complete the application form at the bottom of this page (SPC1)..

You can also get this form from your local:

• Intreo Office or social welfare branch office
• post office

Please send your completed form and supporting documentation to:

Claiming an EU pension

What to do if you wish to claim an EU pension.

Guide for international retirees

If you have lived and worked abroad, you may be able to claim a pension from that country.

How to claim an EU pension from another European Economic Area (EEA) country while living in Ireland

If you are living in Ireland and want to claim an EU pension from another EEA country, more information on how to apply is available on the Claiming an EU Pension page.

How to transfer a private pension to Ireland

If you are a returning Irish emigrant and have a private pension in another country, Revenue will allow you to transfer it to Ireland if you meet certain conditions.

More information about these conditions and how to apply is available on the Transfer of Private Pensions to Ireland for returning Irish Emigrants page.

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

• Operational Guidelines: State Pension (Contributory)
• Operational Guidelines: Payment-related issues

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