Irish Nurse With 28 Years Service

[jimmycooker]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone can advise my about maximising my mother's pension when she goes next year.

She trained & worked as a nurse and lived in the UK for 10+ years before moving back to work in Ireland, initially on temporary contracts for Sat 5 years (so the government didn't have to pay holiday leave etc.) and a further 18 years as a full time nurse.

Based on the fact she has worked all her life in the UK and Ireland, should she qualify for a full state pension in Ireland or split proportionally between the UK and Ireland?

If not, is it possible to 'buy back' years so her pension in Ireland is based on a full (maximum?) term of 40 years?

Does she need to buy back the years she worked as a temporary nurse, or just the years she worked in the UK.

Thanks.

 

[delfio]

Hi Jimmy

Firstly she should contact HMRC in Newcastle to get a state pension forecast,. You need a minimum of ten years to qualify for British state pension. She will be eligible to buy back a further 6 years. Class 2 voluntary contributions will be a cheaper option costing a few pound a week but unfortunately they going to be abolished in April and everyone are going to have to pay the more exp class three contributions which currently cost round £700 a year. By paying back six years your mother will gain circa an extra £26 a week in her British state pension. Also bear in mind she can claim the British state pension at age 65 and the Irish pension the following year. She can also contact HMRC online to request her contribution history, they very slow so the quicker she contacts them the better it will be for her.

Also in recent years there were some concerns as to the impact of Brexit on those people who are claiming it from abroad however, the UK government have since given a commitment to continue with things as they currently stand.

https://www.google.ie/amp/www.teleg...nt-expats-state-pension-brexit/amp/#ampshare=

 

[Early Riser]

I take it your mother's work as a nurse has been in the public sector ? Is she in a public sector pension scheme? Does she pay Class A PRSI ? If so,these schemes are "coordinated" - the final pension is made up of an occupational pension element and the State Pension element (paid separately). It is difficult to comment further without knowing details of your mother's scheme. But she may be able to "buy back" her initial temporary service for occupational pension purposes, if this has not already been done. This is relatively cheap - but it may be difficult to verify the service (depending on circumstances). She should contact her HR department about this. If she does not have any information on the Occupational Pension scheme she is in, they should be able to help on this also.

I would also suggest that she requests a copy of her Irish PRSI records. This can be done online once she is registered for MyGovID :https://www.mywelfare.ie/Account/Login .

 

[Conan]

Worth remembering that one can have your UK social security record added to your Irish record to maximize your Irish State Pension (assuming she is an A Class PRSI contributor). If she wants to go down this route she needs to liaise with the Dept of Soc Protection Central Revords office in Buncrana. They can they check with the UK Dept of Work and Pensions in Newcastle.
Because the Irish Zstate Pension is higher than the UK equivalent, it may be better to maximize the Irish Pension than to opt for two smaller pensions.

 

[Slim]

Hi jimmycooker. When your mother was made permanent, her temporary service should have been calculated for pension purposes and superannuation deducted accordingly. This assumes all public sector employment. She can also seek a quote from HR to purchase Notional Service to make up the service shortfall. This is generally regarded as expensive and requires some longevity to make it worthwhile. She should also consider taking out a private PRSA/AVC to supplement her pension.