Filling state pension form but not sure exact job dates and details.

shaku

Hi, I am helping a 65-year-old friend apply for the State Pension.

Most of the form is straightforward, except for the bit about listing all of your jobs in your lifetime.

She has worked in stamp-paying jobs since 1971 (age 14) and for most of her life except for one 2-year gap due to illness (on Disability Allowance)and one 2-year gap due to full-time home-caring (on Carers Allowance). So I'm pretty sure she can qualify for the Contributory State Pension.

However, she has had a large variety of full-time jobs over the years, mainly kitchen work/cook in schools, nursing homes, creches, cafes etc and some stamp-paying years doing housekeeping. She cannot remember the names and details of some of these places (many of which have closed down anyway). And of the older jobs she can remember, she is not sure of the exact dates, only the year started/ended.

Does the DSP have a record of all stamps paid over her working lifetime, or will they rule out stamps paid if she doesn't have the exact details for specific jobs and dates?

Can we submit the form with as much job history as she can remember and in certain sections mention gaps in details by putting in a line such as "some cafe in Dun Laoghaire 1981-2"?

There is no advice on this situation on Gov, citizens info, or pension.ie websites.

Thank you deeply in advance for any suggestions or answers.

TooTired123

Absolutely. They have a record of all the contributions that were made on her behalf and credits that she built up.

The reason they ask her where and when she was working is to help them if there are gaps in her record to see where she was working in those years so that they can do they’re best for her.

It’s absolutely fine to say :

Ryans Chipper

Main St

Baile Beag

Co Kilkenny

Cook

Approx May 1976 to June 1977

Hibernicis

Does the DSP have a record of all stamps paid over her working lifetime, or will they rule out stamps paid if she doesn't have the exact details for specific jobs and dates?

The department has a full record of National Health Insurance Stamps (pre 1979) and Social Insurance Contributions for subsequent years. The contributor is entitled to a copy of this record. In this case it might be an idea to obtain this before sending off the application - it would assist you in avoiding conflicting information and will highlight periods off work etc.for you to investigate - The easiest way to get it is via my welfare.ie

https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/statements-refunds-and-calculators/contribution-statement/

If online access isn't an option, you can contact the DSP in Buncrana for assistance.

endofrainbow

Agreed - apply for a Contribution Statement which also might help jog her memory.

GerryCarry

How many years can you be unemployed and still get a full contributory state pension?

TooTired123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120376185#Comment_120376185

It would all depend what you were doing immediately before you were unemployed, why were you unemployed, were you getting PRSI credits while you were unemployed, were you caring for a child at home, caring for an elderly sick person, etc etc etc