Invalidity Pension

What is Invalidity Pension?

Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by social insurance (PRSI).

At 66, you transfer automatically to the State Pension (Contributory) at the full rate.

Invalidity Pension is taxable.

You can get the Free Travel scheme with Invalidity Pension. You may also get extra social welfare benefits such as the Household Benefits Package.

How to qualify for Invalidity Pension

To qualify for Invalidity Pension you must meet both:

  • Social Insurance (PRSI) rules – see below
  • Medical rules – see below

Social insurance (PRSI) rules

Only PRSI contributions at Class A, E, H and S count for an Invalidity Pension. Most employees are covered by Class A.

You must also have a certain number of PRSI contributions to get an Invalidity Pension.

To get Invalidity Pension you must have at least:

  • 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions
  • 48 weeks of paid or credited PRSI contributions in the last or second last completed year before the start date of your permanent incapacity for work. The start date is decided by the Department of Social Protection (DSP). It is usually after you have been unable to work for one year. But it can be less than one year if you are permanently incapable of work for life.

If you need your social insurance contributions paid in another EU/EEA member state to help you qualify, then your last contribution must have been in Ireland. Read more about combining social insurance contributions from abroad.

You cannot use voluntary contributions to meet the PRSI rules.

Medical rules

To get Invalidity Pension you must meet the PRSI rules and be unable to work because of an illness or disability.

To meet the medical rules, you must:

  • Have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months (you may have been getting Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance during that time)

Or

  • Be permanently incapable of work (in certain cases of very serious illness or disability, you can transfer directly from another social welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension).

A Deciding Officer in the DSP will decide if you meet the medical and PRSI rules for Invalidity Pension.

Invalidity Pension and work

You cannot do paid work and get Invalidity Pension.

If you want to return to work or self-employment, you may be able to transfer to Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB). You will qualify for Partial Capacity Benefit if the restriction on your capacity for work is assessed as moderate, severe, or profound.

Education and training

If you want to do an education or training course and keep your Invalidity Pension, you must contact the Invalidity Pension section and get written permission before you start.

Rate of Invalidity Pension

Weekly Invalidity Pension rate 2024

Maximum personal rate

Increase for an adult dependant

Increase for a child dependant

 

€237.50

 

€169.70

Child under 12 years of age

€46 (full rate), €23 (half-rate)

Child aged 12 and over

€54 (full rate), €27 (half-rate)

You may get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant, but it will depend on their income.

You may get an increase in your payment for a child dependant. You will not get an increase in your payment for child dependant if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant has an income of over €400 a week. You will get a half-rate increase for a child if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant earns between €310 and €400 a week. This only applies to claims made after 5 July 2012.

Tax and Invalidity Pension

Invalidity Pension is a taxable source of income. The DSP informs Revenue that you are getting Invalidity Pension and the amount paid to you.

How to apply for Invalidity Pension

To apply for Invalidity Pension, fill in an Invalidity Pension application form (INV1) (pdf). You can get a form from your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You can apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance while you are waiting for your Invalidity Pension claim to be processed. SWA is a means tested payment. In a means test the Department of Social Protection examines all your sources of income. To get SWA, your income must be below a certain amount.

Moving from Illness Benefit to Invalidity Pension

If you have been getting Illness Benefit for 468 days, the DSP will medically assess you to find out if you still qualify for Illness Benefit and if you may meet the medical criteria for Invalidity Pension. Following this assessment, you may be sent an IP application form (INV2).

This does not stop you from applying for Invalidity Pension in the normal way using application form (INV1).

You can get help to fill in your form from your local Citizens Information Centre, Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Appeals

If you think you have been wrongly refused Invalidity Pension or you are unhappy about a decision of a Deciding Officer, you can appeal this decision.

Where to apply

Invalidity Pension Section

Social Welfare Services Office
Government Buildings
Ballinalee Road
Longford
N39 E4E0
Ireland

Tel: (043) 334 0000 or 0818 927 770
Page edited: 4 January 2024