Pension

gismo121 · 14-05-2023 2:18pm #1

Hi was wondering if anyone would know how it works! social welfare sent back all the original documents that was sent in with application, for my mum state pension non contributory. Letter just said "please find enclosed the original documents you submitted with your recent application"

Does this mean they have all the correct info they need to progress the claim? Or could the still request more?

Just wondering as she turns 66 next week and will come off her illness benefit.

I was hoping if anything was missing they would said in the letter they sent back with her documents but am not sure how it works!

Thanks

TooTired123 · 14-05-2023 3:22pm

Don’t worry if they need anything else they’ll write to her. Was she definitely not entitled to a con pension. You say she’s currently on illness benefit so that means she was working in the last few years.

Did ye apply for a con pension too? It wouldn’t be any harm. They’re allowing now up to 20 years if she was at home with a child under 12. That means that if she was working, then started a family and stayed at home to mind the kids, and then maybe went back to work again, that they will consider all the years (up to 20) that she had a child under 12 as if she were actually at work and paying a PRSI contribution.

Look it’s a bit complicated but she should also complete a con pension application and attach a note pointing out that she stopped work for this* many years to care for this/these* kids who were born this/these* years. It’s well worth it.

combat14 · 14-05-2023 3:37pm

might be of help

https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/older-and-retired-people/state-pension-contributory/

gismo121 · 14-05-2023 3:48pm

Hi thanks for reply! Yea I helped her apply for Contributory pension but she heard two weeks ago she not entitled to that even with home maker scheme.

Yes she been on illness benefit for 12 years my mum has lot health issues! They could not believe she was left on it for that long with out been moved to disability allowance. Girl on phone was really nice but she did say she could not believe no one noticed my mum was on it that long!

Tbh my mum told her the truth she didn't know much about it or what she was entitled to so she was just glad of payment!

Hopefully if they need more stuff they let us know soon

Thank you

TooTired123 · 14-05-2023 5:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120596175#Comment_120596175

Ah that’s grand so. Best of luck and happy retirement to your mam!

hawthorne · 15-05-2023 3:45am

To be entitled to at least a part contributory pension you have to have a minimum of 520 paid PRSI contributions. Or a combination of Irish and foreign contributions which would bring you up or over the 520 paid contribution mark. If you are under the 520 mark, you get nothing.

Folks staying on IB for years without end is not unheard of. Once there was no time limit on IB- you could stay on it as long as you qualified. I know folks who spent up to 20 years on it.

Dempo1 · 15-05-2023 6:35pm

I'm shocked at this, I understood IB is only payable for up to 2 years and whilst I know eligibility rules changed recently and amount payable based on gross pay in the applicable tax year (2 years prior to claiming) how on earth could it be paid for 20 years let alone more than 2 years.

OP also stated the Person dealing with the application for Non Con pension was surprised their mother was on IB so long. I'd imagine this will also have an impact on her Pension entitlement 🤔

gipi · 15-05-2023 6:42pm

There wasn't always a time limit to IB, and people were essentially eligible for life once the medical certs were submitted.

hawthorne · 16-05-2023 3:54am

Up to the 5th of January, 2009 there was no time limit on IB. As said above- as long as you had a certain amount of PRSI contributions paid since starting work, had enough PRSI contributions paid in the last 3 tax years before your illness, handed in your weekly/monthly/half yearly/yearly doctor's certs, passed every medical assessment from the department , you got paid. Those who were still on IB when the system got changed, were allowed to stay on under the old regulations. Some customers are still on the old scheme. I read about a case where a person was on IB for 30 years.

See the department's guidelines:

gov.ie - Operational Guidelines: Illness Benefit (www.gov.ie)

Take note of this quote from the above link:

"Continuous duration (CD)

Prior to 5 January 2009 a customer who has paid a total of 260 or more contributions at an appropriate class, since entering employment, is entitled to receive payment of Illness Benefit for as long as that customer is incapable of work up to the age of 66. A claim category of 'continuous duration' (CD) applies in this case."

This rule is still in force.

The mother of above's OP should have no difficulty getting the non contributory pension. She will have to go for a means test- which she did not have to go for when she went on IB. If her income, savings, cash, etc. is below a certain limit, she will get the full pension. The fact that she was on IB for so many years will have no impact on her non con pension- neither positive nor negative.

If she would have had at least 520 paid contributions, all those years on IB would have given her a great pile of PRSI credits- all counting in full for the contributory pension! Together with her credits for raising children she would have probably qualified for nearly the full contributory pension!

OPs mother must have been on IB for about 14 years- or more. The change in duration took place at the beginning of 2009. Going back over 12 years brings us to 2001- and at that year the limit of 2 years for receiving IB was already in place for some time.

Dempo1 · 18-05-2023 11:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120602040#Comment_120602040

Thanks for that clarification, I genuinely had no idea there was no time limit for IB up to 2009

Pension

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