# Irish and UK pension



## roker (5 Jun 2008)

I have about 22 yrs UK contributions and about 25 year Irish PRSI contribution.
I am about to retire and have applied to Sligo office for my pension. The UK office told me to apply via Sligo office for UK pension.
The Sligo office has stated how much I will receive which is not a full pension. They have not taken account of the UK contribution and said they do not pay the UK contribution, but have applied on my behalf. Does this mean that I will receive extra pension direct from the UK.


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## Black Sheep (6 Jun 2008)

Based on 25 years contributions in Ireland you should be entitled to a 98% pension = €218.90

I would put a seperate application to the UK (The Pension Service, Tyneview Park, International Pension Centre, NE98 1 BA England). Quote your Social Security No. if you still have it. Otherwise give your name and any addresses you had while in the UK, employers names and dates where you worked and they will look after it for you.

You will be paid a reduced rate of pension from the UK which together with your Irish pension will be a lot better than full rate Irish pension only


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## roker (8 Jun 2008)

Thanks Black Sheep, you are bang on with amount from Ireland + €148.90 for my wife.
When I wrote to the UK Pensions Office in Newcastle, they replied and told me I had to apply through the Sligo office, which I think they have done.
I am still assuming that I will receive payment direct from the UK (not so good at the moment with the exchange rate)


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## z109 (8 Jun 2008)

roker said:


> Thanks Black Sheep, you are bang on with amount from Ireland + €148.90 for my wife.
> When I wrote to the UK Pensions Office in Newcastle, they replied and told me I had to apply through the Sligo office, which I think they have done.
> I am still assuming that I will receive payment direct from the UK (not so good at the moment with the exchange rate)


You will receive the UK portion of your pension in sterling equivalent, so it matters little whether it is paid direct or through the Irish system. 

What you could do, if you still have interests in the UK, is to open a sterling account to avoid paying FX both ways. If you are totally in Ireland, then your UK income will vary with the exchange rate.


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## roker (10 Jun 2008)

This seem full of contradiction, A friend of mine who is past retirement age says that he is getting UK pension with his Irish pension. and is receiving the 100% Irish limit only.

Sligo told me they do not pay UK pension wich makes sense since they do not have this in my 98% assessment. Do I or do I not receive UK pension?I seem to be getting the run around
Can any confirm


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## Welfarite (10 Jun 2008)

If you do not qualify for a State Pension (Transition) or State Pension (Contributory) on Irish contributions alone, you can add on contributions that were paid in the UK. 
These may help you qualify for a reduced State Pension (Contributory) from Ireland but you may also qualify for a pension (not a portion of your Irish pension) from the UK.


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## Black Sheep (10 Jun 2008)

I have just processed a UK pension recently for a friend. He had worked part time for just over 2 years in the UK in the sixties while going to college. He applied directly to UK and yesterday received notification from them that his pension will be £4.30 per week paid annually at Christmas + £10 Christmas bonus. His wife will also receive 60% of his pension. 

He has a full Irish pension

*Note* The portion which his wife receives will give her an entitlement to a medical card (regardless of income)


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## roker (10 Jun 2008)

Interesting all the variations. When my wife applied at 60 having been born in the UK and after hacving a few years contribution she was refused because she did not have enough contribution. They seem to keep moving the goal post.


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## Black Sheep (10 Jun 2008)

How long since your wife applied ?. My friend applied in Jan 2006 and got back a reply stating that as he had not enough contributions - no pension. Then a few days ago all the detail came awarding the £4.30 and arrears back to April 2005


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## Geraldine2 (13 Jun 2008)

The U.K. allows backdated voluntary contributions from 1996 - 2006 to be made within April 2009.  These contributions cost £300 something per year and in my opinion are a great idea.  They can be paid even if one is already drawing the U.K. pension.


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## roker (16 Jun 2008)

Thanks all for your comments, but it is still not clear to me if I receive a separatate UK pension. Just to re-cap.
UK office told me to apply through SLIGO,  Sligo have given me a 98%  Irish pension on average taken from 1979. No mention of credits from the UK. 22 years previous to 1979. Sligo tell me they do not pay UK pension.
who do I contact now ?
Others I have talked to with UK & Irish contributions are only receiveing an Irish pension.


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## Welfarite (16 Jun 2008)

I would think that you have to apply to UK for a separte UK pension based on 22 years contributions. See [broken link removed] ? It odes not appear, from what you say, that the Irish Pension is based on a conbination of both records. Take Balcksheep's advice above and contatc them.


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## Jock04 (16 Jun 2008)

Hope it's Ok to piggyback on this thread.

I worked in the Uk for 24 years, moved to Ireland but continued working in UK and paying UK taxes etc for another 4 years, and will probably work & pay taxes in Ireland for around 22 years.

I know the goalposts shift considerably, but as it stands now, what level of pensions would I be entitled to?


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## eileen alana (23 Jun 2008)

Black Sheep said:


> Based on 25 years contributions in Ireland you should be entitled to a 98% pension = €218.90


 
Why isn't the OP entitled to 100% Irish pension after paying 25 years contributions??


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## Black Sheep (24 Jun 2008)

It's possible that he would get the 100% pension if all 25 years of Irish PRSI were in one block but because of the possibility of any Irish PRSI paid before the UK payments this would reduce the yearly average. 
As the OP did not give the full details of when payments were made I took the more cautious approach and suggested the 98% pension. This would be certain and the 100% is a possibility


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## roker (25 Jun 2008)

A bit of advice on this. keep an accurate record of all employers and employment dates, and date unemployed if signing on. The pensions will give you an assement matrix with all your credit and payments base on all the years you have been paying PRSI. They can get it wrong, and even got it wrong last year for myself + ommitted my self employed contributions, this will reduce your average.


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## Black Sheep (26 Jun 2008)

Roker, Did you get your records from the Central Records Office. They should have *all *records of PRSI paid during your full working life. 

The Pension Office appear to have records only back to 1979 when they became computerized.

Yes I agree with you it is important to keep your own records just to be sure. I always advise P60,s should be kept *forever* though people think I,m crazy


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## roker (26 Jun 2008)

I got my statements from the Pensions in Sligo. I had to get my accountant to prove that I had paid self employed contribution from 2003  I was not given any statements at the time and this was missed from my pension assessment.


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## Welfarite (27 Jun 2008)

Black Sheep said:


> Roker, Did you get your records from the Central Records Office. They should have *all *records of PRSI paid during your full working life.
> 
> The Pension Office appear to have records only back to 1979 when they became computerized.
> 
> Yes I agree with you it is important to keep your own records just to be sure. I always advise P60,s should be kept *forever* though people think I,m crazy


 

Not bad advice! I would always advise people that it is their responsibility to monitor PRSI records, etc.. as you can't depend on the dept. getting it 100% right given the volumes of records they have to mainain. Things can go wrong very easily (such as an employer returning PRSI under a wrong number, employer not paying PRSI, etc) Only the individual knows what should be on their record.


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