Question: My mother left Ireland at age 16 to work in the UK - Is she still entitled to a pension from Ireland?

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Aisling xx

Heres what i found in the irishlinks website

State Pension:
If you have come from a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, your pension rights from the other country are protected when you move to Ireland. You may be able to combine your insurance records from Ireland and the appropriate country in order to qualify for a pension. It is possible to have a pension from Ireland and one or all of the other countries.

State Pension Rates 2008 (Contributory)
Personal rate, aged 66 - 80 â‚¬223.30
Qualified adult aged 66 and over â‚¬200
A qualified adult is someone you are living with as husband and wife. However, any income your adult dependant has from employment, self-employment, savings, investments and capital (for example, any property except your own home) will be taken into account. Your income is not taken into account, only your spouse's or partner's income is taken into account, in the assessment for a Qualified Adult Allowance. If you have joint savings or investments etc., only half is taken into account as belonging to your spouse/partner.

ash1

have a look at http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/older-and-retired-people/oap_non_contributory

there is a non-contributory pension for people who havent paid enough prsi, but they need to be Habitually resident...im not sure how that works. Maybe phone citizens advice and ask them.

Also things arent so clear cut between the UK and Ireland. I could, if i wanted to, go over and get the dole over in the UK despite never having lived there, and british people can come here and do the same...its been like that for years, nothing to do with EU law. So it is def worth looking into.

Sshhhh! It's Podge and Rodge

She would be entitled to the Old Age Pension at 66, and until then she might be entitled to unemployment or invalidity payments before that.
It wasn't her fault that she had to leave Ireland at 16. It was an economic necessity, and as an Irish citizen she's perfectly entitled to claim anything that she's legally entitled to.

froggequene

If your mother made any contributions towards National Insurance during her working life, she should be able to draw on them if she returns to live in the Republic of Ireland. You need to contact the Pensions Service & discuss it with them:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/BritonsLivingAbroad/Moneyabroad/DG_4000013

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/BritonsLivingAbroad/BeforeYouGo/DG_4000018

Orla C

If your mother has paid all her entitlements in a member EU state, and can prove this, she can arrange to have her pension transferred to the Irish pension system. She should ask at her end how this works, it is possible to do this.

bluebell

Irish pensions don't start until age 66. If she is living here permanently then, if this is her habitual residence, she can apply. The non-contributory pension is means tested, so her UK pension will be taken into full account. So are any savings she has. It is possible she would get a small top-up amount. That in itself would qualify her for free TV licence, electricity and phone allowance and also free travel on public bus or train. If her UK pension is decent, she will not qualify for anything further.

Trust me I'm a Doctor â™¥

If she resides in Ireland she should be eligable for a non-contributory old age pension, after 65 I think. But she won't get her UK pension as well. One or the other.

Rory M

I doubt it, and hope not.

jane

i think so i heard my aunt talk about it recently an she left at 16 to its only small though like 40 a month er something

Leaine Ni Loingsigh

Nope, I don't think so. At least, she shouldn't be.

Ã‰irerua

I highly doubt it especially not the way things are financially here at the moment. Anyway I doubt she's ever contributed to any pension schemes in Ireland so I wouldn't think she's entitled to anything.

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