State Pension (Contributory)

What is the State Pension (Contributory)?

You can get the State Pension (Contributory) from the age of 66 if you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions. It is sometimes called the old-age pension.

The State Pension (Contributory) is not means tested. You can get it even if you have other income, such as an occupational pension.

As the social insurance (PRSI) conditions are very complex, you should apply for a State Pension (Contributory) if you have ever worked in Ireland and have paid PRSI contributions (stamps) at any time.

If you retire early, make sure you continue paying PRSI contributions, or that you are getting credited contributions (if you are eligible). This can help you get a contributory pension when you reach pension age.

Applying for State Pension (Contributory) from 2025

If you apply for your State Pension (Contributory) from 2025, there will be changes to how your pension is calculated. Read 'Changes to the State Pension (Contributory) 2025' below.

Qualifying age for State pensions

You must be at least 66 to qualify for a State pension.

You can choose to defer claiming your State Pension (Contributory) up to age 70.

Invalidity Pension

If you are getting an Invalidity Pension, you can transfer to the State Pension (Contributory) at the full rate when you are 66.

If you retire at 65

If you retire at 65, you may qualify for a benefit payment until you reach 66. To qualify for this payment at 65, you must have stopped working and meet the (PRSI) social insurance conditions. Read 'How to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory)' below.

How your pension application is assessed

If you apply for the State Pension (Contributory) and don’t qualify for the maximum rate of pension because of gaps in your PRSI record, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) can assess your application using the Total Contributions Approach (TCA).

What is the Total Contributions Approach (TCA)?

Using the Total Contributions Approach (TCA), the DSP takes the total number of PRSI contributions you paid, instead of when they were paid, into account when assessing your application.

The TCA calculation includes the HomeCaring Periods Scheme. This helps people who spent time outside the paid workplace, while raising a family or in a caring role, to qualify for a higher rate of pension.

If you reached pension age on or after 1 September 2012, your pension rate can be calculated in 2 ways:

  1. Using the 'average rule', or
  2. Using the TCA.

The DSP will calculate your pension rate using both methods, and choose whichever method gives you the better rate of pension. See ‘How to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory)’ below.

The National Pensions Framework has proposed that the TCA replace the current average rule. See 'Changes to the State Pension (Contributory) 2025' below.

How to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory)

To qualify for a State Pension (Contributory), you must be aged 66 or over, and have enough Class A, E, F, G, H, N, or S social insurance contributions (PRSI). These are also called full-rate PRSI contributions.

You must meet the following 3 conditions:

1. Have paid PRSI contributions before a certain age

To get a State Pension (Contributory) at 66, you must have started paying PRSI before the age of 56. If you are deferring your pension, you must have started paying PRSI at least 10 years before you drawdown your pension.

Entry into insurance

The date you first started paying PRSI is called your date of ‘entry into insurance’. Your date of entry into insurance is also important when you calculate your yearly average number of PRSI contributions – see ‘Yearly average or total number of contributions’ below.

Your ‘entry into insurance is the date of the first paid PRSI contribution made when you started your first job. However, this may not be the case if you either:

  • Have mixed PRSI contributions
  • Were self-employed.

Mixed PRSI

There are special rules if you have mix of full-rate PRSI contributions and modified-rate contributions. Modified-rate social insurance contributions are PRSI contributions at Classes B, C and D (paid by civil and public servants).

If you have mixed PRSI contributions and you paid your first full-rate employment contribution before 6 April 1991 and before you were 56, your entry into insurance can be the date you first started paying the full rate of PRSI, if that would be to your advantage.

If you started to pay full-rate PRSI after 6 April 1991, your entry into insurance is the date you first paid any social insurance.

Self-employed

There are special rules on entry into insurance for self-employed people. PRSI for self-employed people was introduced on 6 April 1988. If you started paying self-employed PRSI on 6 April 1988 and had previously paid employee PRSI at any time, then your date of entry into insurance can be either 6 April 1988, or the date when you first paid employee PRSI, whichever would give you a higher rate of pension.

If you started paying self-employed PRSI after 6 April 1988, your date of entry into insurance will be the date your first contribution was paid.

2. Number of paid PRSI contributions

The number of paid PRSI contributions you need for the State Pension (Contributory) depends on your retirement date.

If you reach pension age on or after 6 April 2012, you need to have 520 full-rate PRSI contributions (10 years’ contributions).

If you reached pension age between 6 April 2002 and 5 April 2012, you needed to have 260 full-rate contributions (5 years’ contributions).

If you reached pension age before 6 April 2002, you needed 156 qualifying full-rate paid contributions (3 years’ contributions).

3. Yearly average or total number of contributions

The DSP will calculate your PRSI contributions differently, depending on whether you reached pension age before, or after, 1 September 2012.

If you reached pension age before 1 September 2012

If you reached pension age before 1 September 2012, you must have a yearly average number of PRSI contributions (paid or credited contributions) from the year you first started paying PRSI, to the end of the tax year before you reach pension age.

This is probably the most complex aspect of qualifying for a State Pension (Contributory). There is the ‘normal average rule and the ‘alternative average rule’.

Normal average rule

The normal average rule states that you must have a yearly average of at least 10 qualifying contributions paid or credited, from the year you first entered insurance, to the end of the tax year before you reach pension age.

You need an average of 10 contributions a year to get a minimum pension, and you need an average of 48 a year to get the maximum pension.

Your yearly average will be rounded to the nearest number. For example, 9.4 is rounded down to 9 and 47.5 is rounded up to 48.

Alternative average rule

The ‘alternative average rule’ says you must have an average of 48 Class A, E, F, G, H, N or S contributions (paid or credited) for each contribution year. This rule applies from the 1979-1980 tax year to the end of the tax year before you reach pension age.

If you have this average of 48 contributions, you are entitled to the maximum pension. You cannot get a reduced pension when this alternative average is used.

How your average is assessed

The DSP assesses your pension application using both the normal average and the alternative average.

The alternative average will probably be looked at first because it is easier to assess. Most employed or formerly employed people will be able to meet the alternative average rule of 48 contributions.

If you do not have an average of 48 contributions from 1979, then the DSP will assess your application using the normal average rule. You may get a reduced pension. If you do not meet the alternative average, it is almost impossible for you to have an average of 48 using the normal average rule.

If you spent time working in the home (caring)

The DSP can ‘disregard’ (not take into account) up to 20 years spent as a homemaker when calculating your yearly average. This Homemakers’ Scheme can only be used when calculating your yearly average number of contributions.

You can use the Homemakers’ Scheme if you provided full-time care for:

  • A child under 12
  • An ill person
  • A person with a disability aged 12 or over.

It applies equally to women and men. It does not apply to time spent caring before the scheme started in 1994.

You will benefit most from the Homemakers’ Scheme if you worked outside the home for a number of years (in employment or self-employment), and then spent a number of years caring.

If you reach pension age on or after 1 September 2012

If you reach pension age on or after 1 September 2012, you can be assessed using either the average rules (see above) or the Total Contributions Approach (TCA).

The Total Contributions Approach, also known as the Aggregated Contributions Method, does not use a yearly average to calculate the rate of pension. Instead, the rate is based on the total number of contributions you have paid before you reach the age of 66 or the age you defer your pension to.

If you spent time caring

From January 2024, if you have cared for someone for 20 years (1040 weeks) or more, you may get a Long-Term Carers Contribution on your PRSI record for each week that you provided full-time care. These contributions can only be used to help you qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). The person you are caring for must have a disability requiring full-time care.

The Total Contributions Approach (TCA) calculation includes the HomeCaring Periods Scheme, which can allow for up to 20 years of homemaking and caring duties. The HomeCaring Periods Scheme can only be used with the TCA.

Using the TCA, you will qualify for the maximum personal rate of State Pension (Contributory) if you have 2,080 or more PRSI contributions (or 40 years’ of employment).

If you have fewer than 2,080 contributions, you may still qualify for a high rate of pension because up to 1,040 HomeCaring Periods (20 years) and up to 520 credited contributions (10 years) can be used as part of your pension calculation.

However, your combined HomeCaring Periods and credited contributions cannot total more than 1,040 (20 years).

If your combined total of paid contributions, HomeCaring Period and credited contributions is less than 2,080, you will qualify for a reduced rate of pension.

For example, a combined total of 1,040 paid contributions, made up of HomeCaring Period and credited contributions, would entitle you to 50% of the maximum pension (1,040 / 2,080 = 50%).

Weekly rate of State Pension (Contributory)

State Pension (Contributory) rates in 2024 for people who qualified after 1 September 2012

The table below shows the State Pension (Contributory) rates in 2024 for people who qualified after 1 September 2012. These rates only apply if you claim your SPC at 66. If you defer claiming your pension, you will get different rates.

Yearly average PRSI contributions

Personal rate per week

Increase for a qualified adult* (under 66)

Increase for a qualified adult* (over 66)

48 or over

€277.30

€184.70

€248.60

40-47

€271.90

€175.80

€236.10

30-39

€249.30

€167.20

€223.90

20-29

€236.10

€156.50

€210.70

15-19

€180.70

€120.40

€161.40

10-14

€110.80

€73.40

€99.90

*Increases for qualified adults are means-tested payments

State Pension (Contributory) rates in 2024 for people who qualified before 1 September 2012

Yearly average PRSI contributions

Personal rate per week

Increase for a qualified adult (under 66)

Increase for a qualified adult (66 and over)

48 or over

€277.30

€184.70

€248.60

20-47

€271.90

€184.70

€248.60

15-19

€208

€138.60**

€186.50**

10-14

€138.70

€92.50**

€124.20**

**These qualified adult rates apply to claims made from 6 April 2001.

The State Pension is taxable, but you are unlikely to pay tax if it is your only income.

Adult dependants

You can get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant (called an increase for qualified adult or IQA). An adult dependant is your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.

Your income is not taken into account in the assessment for an IQA.

The DSP takes any income your adult dependant has from employment, self-employment, savings, investments and capital (for example, any property except your own home) into account. If you have joint savings or investments with your adult dependant, only half is taken into account.

If you are getting a State Pension (Contributory), the IQA is automatically paid directly to your adult dependant.

Child dependants

You can also get an increase in your payment for child dependants (known as an Increase for a Qualified Child or IQC).

However, you cannot get an IQC with your State Pension (Contributory) if your partner has an income of over €400 a week. You get a half-rate IQC if partner earns between €310 and €400 a week. This only applies to claims made after 6 July 2012.

Other benefits

You are automatically paid an extra allowance of €10 per week when you turn 80. This increase is not paid to adult dependants.

If you live alone, you may be entitled to the Living Alone Increase.

You may also be eligible for other benefits. Read about:

Changes to the State Pension (Contributory) 2025

From 1 January 2025, if you were born on or after 1 January 1959, your pension rate will be calculated using either:

  1. Only the ‘Total Contribution Approach (TCA)'
  2. A combination of the ‘yearly average method’ and ‘Total Contribution Approach (TCA)’.

You will get whichever rate is greater.

Read about these methods under ‘How your pension application is assessed’ above.

Over the following 10 years (from 2025 to 2034), the ‘yearly average method’ will be phased out. By 2034, all pensions for people born on or after 1 January 1968, will be calculated using only the TCA.

Table showing how State Pension (Contributory) is calculated using combination of ‘Yearly Average’ and ‘TCA’

The year you draw down your pension The percentage calculated using 'yearly average' Plus, the percentage calculated using Total Contributions Approach (TCA)
2025 90% 10%
2026 80% 20%
2027 70% 30%
2028 60% 40%
2029 50% 50%
2030 40% 60%
2031 30% 70%
2032 20% 80%
2033 10% 90%
2034 0% 100%

Example of how the rate of SPC is calculated in 2027

Example of how someone’s rate of State Pension (Contributory) is calculated in 2027

Mary will be 69 when she applies for her State Pension (Contributory) in 2027.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) will calculate her rate of pension using both the:

 • Total Contribution Approach, and

 • The yearly average method

Step 1:

The DSP checks the total number of Mary’s contributions, using the TCA.

Step 2:

The DSP then calculates Mary’s ‘yearly average’.

If her rate of pension using the TCA is higher than when using the yearly average, Mary gets the rate from the TCA calculation.

But, if the yearly average calculation gives a higher rate, the DSP continues their calculations (see Step 3).

Step 3:

In 2027, the DSP will add 70% of the SPC rate Mary will get using the yearly average, and 30% of her TCA pension rate.

70% (YA) + 30% (TCA) = Mary’s final SPC rate.

 

To get a State Pension (Contributory), you must have started paying PRSI at least 10 years before you reach the age of 66 or the age you defer your pension to.

Read more about the upcoming changes on gov.ie.

How to apply for a State Pension (Contributory)

Get your social insurance record

If you have a MyGovID account, you can request a copy of your contribution statement through MyWelfare.ie. To do this, you need your PPS (Personal Public Service) number.

Your contribution statement shows:

  • How many social insurance contributions you have, up to the end of the last tax year
  • Any credited contributions you have.

Apply for a State Pension (Contributory)

You cannot apply for the State Pension (Contributory) online.

You can get a paper application form from:

When to apply for your State Pension (Contributory)

When you apply for your State Pension (Contributory) depends on your personal circumstances. In general, you should apply 3 months before you reach 66. However, if you have paid social insurance contributions in more than one country, you should apply 6 months before you reach 66.

Or, if you choose to continue working after 66, you can apply to defer your State Pension (Contributory) up to the age of 70.

You may qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance if there is a delay in processing your claim.

Apply for an increase for your adult dependant

If you are currently getting a State Pension (Contributory) and want to apply for an increase in your payment for your adult dependant, you should complete form SPCQA1(pdf).

Your adult dependant is paid the increase directly (the DSP does not pay the increase to you).

Read more in our page Claiming for an adult dependant.

Late claims

Late State Pension (Contributory) claims can be backdated for a maximum of 6 months. Read more in our page about late claims.

Where to send your SPC application

You can send your completed application for State Pension (Contributory) to:

Department of Social Protection

Department of Social Protection

College Road
Sligo
F91 T384

Opening Hours: This office does not offer a service to personal callers. All queries must be made using the online enquiry form, by telephone or in writing.
Tel: (071) 915 7100 or 0818 200 400

More information about pensions

Pro-rata pensions

You can read our page about pro-rata pensions, which may be useful if you:

  • Have worked in both the public and private sectors, or
  • Have ever worked abroad.

Brexit and your pension

On 31 January 2020 the UK exited the EU. However, you will still get your Irish State Pension (Contributory) or UK State Pension, as before. Irish and UK citizens living in Ireland can still benefit from social insurance contributions made when working in the UK.

Pensions Commisson

The Pensions Commission was set up under the Programme for Government 2020 to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with State pensions and the Social Insurance Fund.

Getting help with your application

If you need help with your State Pension (Contributory) application, you can contact your local Citizens Information Centre.

Page edited: 6 March 2024