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Carers Benefit PRSI Contribution

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  • 16-12-2023 11:43am
    #1
    Phr2023
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi

    I am hoping someone can help me.

    I have been declined carers benefit based on PRSI contributions. The only time I have not been employed in the last 20 years is maternity leave which happens to have fallen in the last 3 years. This has made the whole process of applying very messy. Hard to predict that I would have a child born with serious medical needs!!

    I have had my maternity leave credits added to my PRSI record and these show as credited contributions not as ‘paid’ contributions. Should these be used along with my paid contributions to give me enough PRSI contributions to claim carers benefit?


    I know I can call them on Monday but my head is in a bit of a spin being refused and Christmas is coming and I have finished work!

    if anyone could clarify for me it would be great. I have never required any form of social welfare so this is very new to me. I cannot find a definitive answer on google as all articles relate to ‘paid contributions’


    thank you in advance

    Post edited by Spear on
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    #2
    wench
    Registered Users Posts: 1,641 ✭✭✭wench


    A paid contribution means just that, you and/or your employer need to have paid the PRSI contribution for that week.

    While you are receiving a SW payment, maternity, jobseekers, illness etc, you get a credited contribution. These generally don't help you qualify for schemes, but do come into play for amounts of pension type payments.

    To qualify for Carer's, you will need enough paid contributions to meet one of these:

    • 39 contributions paid in the relevant tax year (2021) or
    • 39 contributions paid in the 12-month period before the start of Carer's Benefit or
    • 26 contributions paid in the relevant tax year and 26 contributions paid in the year before that.



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    #3
    Phr2023
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Phr2023


    Thanks for the reply! It’s all new to me.

    its frustrating to be declined based on statutory maternity leave!

    i am just 1 week short of qualifying on ‘paid contributions’ in 2021.

    do you know if I can pay that week now as such to qualify?



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    #4
    gipi
    Registered Users Posts: 2,951 ✭✭✭gipi


    The relevant year will change in January to 2022, would you have enough paid contributions to qualify then, based on the guidelines posted by wench above?

    You can't pay for a missing contribution, I'm afraid.



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    #5
    Phr2023
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Phr2023


    Never thought of that! Yes I have my full 52 weeks paid contributions in 2022. I’ll re apply in 2024. Panic over!


    Cheers guys



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