Parent's Benefit

Parent’s Benefit and parent’s leave are for parents in the first 2 years after their child’s birth or adoption.

Parent’s Benefit is paid while you are on parent’s leave from work if you have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions.

You must be on parent’s leave to get Parent’s Benefit. However, it’s possible to qualify for parent’s leave and not qualify for Parent’s Benefit (for example, if you don’t meet the PRSI contribution conditions).

Each parent is entitled to Parent’s Benefit during parent’s leave.

From July 2022, Parent's Benefit increased from 5 weeks to 7 weeks. You will get a total of 7 weeks Parent’s Benefit, if you are the parent of:

• A child born or adopted after 1 July 2022
• A child under the age of 2 on 1 July 2022 or an adopted child placed with your family less than 2 years on 1 July 2022 - you must complete the extra parent's leave on or before your child’s second birthday or within 2 years of the adoption placement

You can take 7 consecutive weeks or 7 separate weeks of leave.

Parent’s Benefit is only paid once for both single and multiple births. For example, if you have twins or adopt 2 children at the same time, you get one payment.

If you are already getting a social welfare payment, then you may get half-rate Parent’s Benefit.

Upcoming changes to Parent's Benefit

Parent's Benefit will increase from 7 weeks to 9 weeks from August 2024.

Parent’s Benefit is paid in the first 2 years of the child’s birth or adoption.

You must notify your employer that you intend to take parent’s leave and of your intended dates no later than 6 weeks before your leave. You then apply for Parent’s Benefit at least 4 weeks before the date you start your parent’s leave.

If you are self-employed you should apply for Parent's Benefit 6 weeks before you intend to take parent’s leave.

You need your child’s PPS number to apply for Parent’s Benefit.

PRSI contributions for Parent's Benefit

You must have a certain number of paid PRSI contributions on your social insurance record. Your PRSI contributions can be from both employment and self-employment. You must meet the conditions when you apply.

You get credited contributions or credits automatically when you are getting Parent’s Benefit.

Time spent on the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (CPUP) and the COVID-19 Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) will be treated as if you are continuing to make insurance contributions at your normal social insurance class.

The PRSI classes that count for Parent’s Benefit are A, B, C, D, E, H and S (self-employed).

You must have:

• 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your Parent’s Benefit

Or

• 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on parent’s leave in 2024, the relevant tax year is 2022 and the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year is 2023.

Or

• 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on parent’s leave in 2024, the relevant tax year is 2022 and the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year is 2021.

If you were in insurable self-employment before starting insurable employment (as an employee), your PRSI contributions (Class S) may help you qualify for Parent’s Benefit if you do not satisfy the employee PRSI conditions as stated above.

If you are self-employed, you must have:

• 52 PRSI contributions paid at Class S in the relevant tax year

Or

• 52 PRSI contributions paid at Class S in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on adoptive leave in 2024, the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year is 2021.

Or

• 52 qualifying PRSI contributions paid at Class S in the tax year immediately following relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on adoptive leave in 2024, the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year is 2023.

If you are now self-employed but you were in insurable employment before you became self-employed, your PRSI contributions (Class A, E and H) in that employment may help you qualify for Parent’s Benefit if you do not satisfy the self-employment conditions as stated above.

The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the Benefit year in which your adoptive leave starts. The Benefit year begins on the first Monday in January in each calendar year and ends on the Sunday immediately before the first Monday in the next calendar year. For example, the relevant tax year is 2022 for claims made in 2024.

Insurance from employment in another country

If you had insurable employment in a country covered by EU Regulations and you have paid at least one full rate PRSI contribution in Ireland, you may combine your insurance record in that country with your Irish PRSI contributions to help you qualify for Parent’s Benefit.

More information is available in our document about combining your social insurance contributions from abroad.

If you are already getting a social welfare payment

Half-rate Parent's Benefit may be payable if you are getting any one of the following payments:

• One-Parent Family Payment
• Widower's and Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• Widower's and Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Death Benefit by way of Widow's/Widower's/Surviving Civil Partner's or Dependent Parents' Pension (under the Occupational Injuries Scheme)

If you are providing full-time care to another person, you may qualify for half-rate Carer's Allowance with your Parent's Benefit.

If you are getting a Working Family Payment (WFP), you can continue to get your WFP with your Parent's Benefit as long as you meet the qualifying criteria for both.

Leave certification

You must declare that your parent’s leave dates have been approved by your employer when you apply for Parent’s Benefit. The Department of Social Protection (DSP) may contact your employer asking them to confirm the dates.

If you are self-employed, you self-certify your leave and declare that you will not engage in any employment during your parent’s leave.

If you are applying for Parent’s Benefit for an adopted child, you need a certificate of placement for the child. If the adoption is an intercountry adoption and took place outside the State, you need a declaration of eligibility and suitability and confirmation of the day of placement or expected day of placement in writing.

If you decide not to take parent’s leave, you cannot get Parent’s Benefit. You should tell the Parent’s Benefit section of the Department about any changes to your parent’s leave arrangements.

Payment abroad

EU citizens: If you are an EU citizen, you can get Parent’s Benefit for any period of your parent’s leave spent in another EU country.

Non-EU citizens: Non-EU citizens can only get Parent’s Benefit for periods of parent’s leave spent in Ireland.

There are some exceptions, you can find more information about getting Parent’s Benefit abroad.

Parent's Benefit is paid at a standard weekly rate.

Payments for dependants

If you have dependants, your Parent’s Benefit rate is compared to the rate of Illness Benefit (including increases for dependants) that would be paid to you if you were absent from work through illness. The higher of the 2 rates is paid to you.

Although the Illness Benefit rate begins from a lower personal base amount (€232 is the maximum Illness Benefit personal rate), it takes into account extra payments for your family. This is why, depending on the circumstances of your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant and how many children you have, you may get a higher rate of Illness Benefit.

If your adult dependant (your spouse or partner) is getting a social welfare payment you will not get an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) but you may get a half-rate Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC).

You will qualify for a full-rate IQA and a full-rate IQC, if your adult dependant is unemployed and signing on for credits or is earning under €100.01 per week.

If your adult dependant is earning between €100.01 and €310 per week you will get a tapered rate of IQA and a full-rate IQC. If your adult dependant is earning between €310.01 and €400 per week you will not get an IQA but you will get half rate IQC. If your adult dependant earns over €400 per week you will not get an IQA or IQC.

How do I get paid?

Parent's Benefit is paid directly into your bank or building society account (a current or deposit account, not a mortgage account) or you can choose to have it paid directly into your employer's bank account.

If your employer pays you in full while you are on parent’s leave, they may require Parent’s Benefit to be paid directly into their bank account. You should check your contract of employment to see what applies to you

Parent's Benefit is taxable (pdf). Universal Social Charge and PRSI are not payable. You can read about how Parent's Benefit is taxed in our document, Taxation of social welfare payments.

If you are an employee you must be approved for parent’s leave before you can apply for Parent’s Benefit. You must apply to your employer for parent’s leave at least 6 weeks before you intend to start your parent’s leave. You then apply for Parent’s Benefit at least 4 weeks before you take the leave.

If you are self-employed you apply for Parent's Benefit 6 weeks before your planned leave.

Online applications

You apply for Parent's Benefit online at MyWelfare.ie. You have to fill in the questions asked in the online form. You also need:

• Your baby’s PPS number
• Your employer’s ERN (Employer’s Registration Number) and the name and address of your employer

You must declare that your parent’s leave dates have been approved by your employer (you don’t need documentation to prove this). If you are applying for increases for dependants (spouse or partner and/or children) you need their PPS numbers and information about their income.

You must have a Public Services Card (linked to your mobile phone number) and a verified MyGovID account to apply online.

To find out if your mobile phone number is linked to your Public Services Card, contact your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. If you do not already have a Public Services Card, you can make an appointment to get one at mywelfare.ie. You will first need to register with the site. To do this you need a mobile phone number and an e-mail address. When you have made your appointment, print the notification and bring it to your appointment along with the required documents (listed in the notification).

Find out more about applying online for social welfare payments and services.

Postal applications

If you are unable to apply online, you can request a Parent’s Benefit application form by emailing or phoning the Parent's Benefit Section - see 'Where to apply' below.

Fill in the form and send it to the Parent’s Benefit Section of the Department of Social Protection.

What happens if my baby is in hospital?

If your baby is in hospital you can postpone your parent’s leave and Parent’s Benefit or the portion of it that remains. However, you must start your parent’s leave and Parent’s Benefit within 7 days of your child’s discharge from hospital.

If you want to change your leave dates because your baby is in hospital you can do this through MyWelfare.ie. If you are unable to do that or your leave is due to start within the next 10 days, you can send a letter directly to the Parent’s Benefit section (see ‘Where to apply’ below) telling them of your new leave dates.

Death of a child

If your child dies within the first year of birth or adoption, you are still entitled to take your parent’s leave and Parent’s Benefit.

How do I appeal a decision on Parent's Benefit?

If you are unhappy with a decision about your application for Parent’s Benefit, you can make an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. You should appeal within 21 days of getting the decision.

You can email the Parent's Benefit section at parentsben@welfare.ie.