State Pension help

[Art Vandalay]

Hi,

Hope someone can help me, I am writing on behalf of my rather distressed mother.

Recently turned 60 my mother inquired from citizens advice about her state pension entitlements,
Unceremoniously told she would be entitled to only about €10 a month and berated for being stupid, she is quiet upset ,so if someone could shed light on what entitlements are I would be very grateful.
I have trawled welfare.ie etc but am still not sure.Ill try to define the problem as clear as possible, please ask if more info is needed!

This is the situation.
Mother worked full-time for about 10 years up to approx 1976 paying PRSI(or equivilant).
She then got married and had a family.
She did not return to work as my father started a business,working as a sole-trader from approx 1992.Mother assisted in running the business although no partnership or employer/employee, as the attitude would have been whats mine is yours(naieve maybe!).
My father would have been working, paying PRSI from approx 1965-1992 and paying S-class stamps as sole-trader since then.

So..
Is my mother entitled to the Homemakers allowance improve her average payments per year, or is this available only after 1994?
Is my father entitled to claim for my mother because he has been paying S Class PRSI?
Can there be any allowance made for the unofficial nature of my mothers 'employment' with my fathers business?Im told that if my mother signed on the dole she would be in a better position, how does this seem fair?
Can my mother do anything to try to rectify the situation?Start making voluntary contributions, or sign on for the next 6 years which might help with her yearly average payments?

Hope Ive made it clear and havent rambled too much, and again ANY help or advice would be very much appreciated and relieve a nice lady!

Cheers

 

[ClubMan]

Recently turned 60 my mother inquired from citizens advice about her state pension entitlements,
Unceremoniously told she would be entitled to only about €10 a month and berated for being stupid

I find it very difficult to believe that somebody in CitizensInformation would say this. Are you sure that this is actually what happened? If so then she should make a formal complaint about the matter.

 

[Welfarite]

Recently turned 60 my mother inquired from citizens advice about her state pension entitlements

The State Pension is only payable from 66 years at present. I find it hard to understand how anyone could forecast how much she would get six years into the future.

Mother worked full-time for about 10 years up to approx 1976 paying PRSI(or equivilant).

Going on this, she shopuld have about 520 contributions paid, whihc satisfys the first condition (at present ...this oculd change by the time she gets to 66).

She then got married and had a family. She did not return to work as my father started a business,working as a sole-trader from approx 1992.

You don't say when/ how many years, but the Homemakers scheme (not allowance)n provides that contribution years spent working in the home while caring on a full-time basis for a child up to 12 years of age can be disregarded when working out the average for a pension. These provisions only apply for the tax year commencing April 1994 on. Up to 20 contribution years may be disregarded. The scheme is to help bring the average up when there are gaps due to being a housewife/looking after kids. Available only after 1994 though.

My father would have been working, paying PRSI from approx 1965-1992 and paying S-class stamps as sole-trader since then.

He could probably claim your mother as a qualified adult on his pension when he claims.

So..

Im told that if my mother signed on the dole she would be in a better position, how does this seem fair?

She would not have recieved any credits as she was more than 2 years out of work and therefore would not have been in a better position. She cannot sign now as the same thing applies. She would have to work for a period first to be entitled to "sign on for credits".

 

[Black Sheep]

You haven't said how soon your father reaches pension age. If he is eligible for a full pension it appears the best option would be to apply for a qualified adult portion for your mother. She would receive a higher rate as a QA than as a part pension in her own right. However there is a means test attached to the QA portion

As these are current situations and there is a major overhaul of Pensions afoot I wouldn't make any assumptions for the future