Can my partner qualify for a contributory state pension?

I've read all the Department and Citizen Information advice, and my head is reeling. We also consulted Citizen Information personally but got only very generalised pointers. So I'm hoping someone here might have the answers...

My partner is around 100 contributions short of the 520 threshold needed to qualify for the state contributory pension. She will be able to claim full homemaker credits (for 11 to 12 years, I think) but it seems this only is calculated when she applies for the pension, leaving us in limbo in the meantime, and we are not even sure if she will be allowed to apply for them.

Personal circumstances mean she cannot take on a job to work up more contributions.

I have two questions:
1. Will she be able to apply for homemaker credits, or is this available only if she already has 520 contributions.
2. Is there a mechanism whereby she can pay additional contributions -- she has three years to go to 65.

When was the last year she paid PRSI. I believe you can pay for a few tears as long as you have worked within a certain timeframe when applying. I know it's easier said than done but if she could get a two or three hour a week job to pay just under €40 a week she could get the extra 100 in 2 years. Are you self employed and in need of a secretary ?

elcato said:

When was the last year she paid PRSI. I believe you can pay for a few tears as long as you have worked within a certain timeframe when applying. I know it's easier said than done but if she could get a two or three hour a week job to pay just under €40 a week she could get the extra 100 in 2 years. Are you self employed and in need of a secretary ?

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Thanks. Just a few contributions in 2008 -- probably too long ago.

I would love to be self-employed, with a secretary, but it's not an option.

keepon said:

She will be able to claim full homemaker credits (for 11 to 12 years, I think) but it seems this only is calculated when she applies for the pension, leaving us in limbo in the meantime, and we are not even sure if she will be allowed to apply for them.

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She can apply for homemaker credits now, if she wants to. My missus did it through MyWelfare.ie and received them a few weeks later.

But, as you suspect, they won't be any use to her unless she can cross the 520 paid contribution threshold.

How to apply

So the answers to your two questions are:-

1. See above.

2. The only real "mechanism" is for her to get a part-time job (as mentioned above) that would enable her to pay Class A contributions.

Incidentally, State pension age is 66, not 65.

Home employment could be an option for her to gain the extra 100 paid Prsi contributions needed to reach the 520 minimum paid contributions level.

S class said:

Home employment could be an option for her to gain the extra 100 paid Prsi contributions

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Sorry for going off topic slightly, but what does home employment mean ? Babysitting and filling out a form 11 for the €50 ? Serious question.

No. It would involve another person employing her to do work, for example child minding, in her own home.
She would be a PAYE employee.

Marsupial said:

She can apply for homemaker credits now, if she wants to. My missus did it through MyWelfare.ie and received them a few weeks later.

But, as you suspect, they won't be any use to her unless she can cross the 520 paid contribution threshold.

How to apply

So the answers to your two questions are:-

1. See above.

2. The only real "mechanism" is for her to get a part-time job (as mentioned above) that would enable her to pay Class A contributions.

Incidentally, State pension age is 66, not 65.

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Thanks M. As I feared, so. I'll get her to apply anyway. I had been told by several people that one couldn't apply until actually retiring, which doesn't make sense.