State Pension (Non-Contributory)
Coverage
- This payment is available to anyone resident in Ireland who is of statutory retirement age, passes a means test, and is habitually resident in Ireland.
Financing
- The scheme is financed out of general taxation.
Administration
- The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection administers the scheme as a social welfare measure.
Qualifying Conditions
- Age: statutory retirement age is 66 years.
- Means test: a person must satisfy a means test to qualify for this payment. The means test includes an assessment of cash income (incl. income from work), value of capital (excluding a person’s own home) and income from personal property. The means determine the value of the pension which can be received.
- Habitual residence: a person must be legally and habitually resident in the state. There is no definition of habitual residence in Irish law. However, it is generally determined based on a demonstration of a proven link to Ireland and some level of permanence i.e. that the person has been living in Ireland for some time and intends to continue to do so in the future.
- Personal public service number: a person claiming State Pension (Non-Contributory) must have a PPS number which is a unique reference number that allows access to social assistance payments and benefits, public services and information in Ireland.
- Early Retirement: the earliest this payment can be received is on reaching the State Pension age of 66 years.
- A person may not claim State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) at the same time.
Benefits
- The payment is a flat-rate weekly payment calculated on an individual basis dependent on means, levels of other social assistance payments, and whether the person has dependants, is married etc. It is subject to a statutory maximum (EUR 237 per week for those between the ages of 66 and 80 and EUR 247 for those aged 80+ in 2021).
- The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is taxable but if it is the only income it is unlikely that the individual will pay tax on it.
Coverage
Financing
Administration
Qualifying Conditions
Benefits
- This payment is available to anyone resident in Ireland who is of statutory retirement age, passes a means test, and is habitually resident in Ireland.
- The scheme is financed out of general taxation.
- The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection administers the scheme as a social welfare measure.
- Age: statutory retirement age is 66 years.
- Means test: a person must satisfy a means test to qualify for this payment. The means test includes an assessment of cash income (incl. income from work), value of capital (excluding a person’s own home) and income from personal property. The means determine the value of the pension which can be received.
- Habitual residence: a person must be legally and habitually resident in the state. There is no definition of habitual residence in Irish law. However, it is generally determined based on a demonstration of a proven link to Ireland and some level of permanence i.e. that the person has been living in Ireland for some time and intends to continue to do so in the future.
- Personal public service number: a person claiming State Pension (Non-Contributory) must have a PPS number which is a unique reference number that allows access to social assistance payments and benefits, public services and information in Ireland.
- Early Retirement: the earliest this payment can be received is on reaching the State Pension age of 66 years.
- A person may not claim State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) at the same time.
- The payment is a flat-rate weekly payment calculated on an individual basis dependent on means, levels of other social assistance payments, and whether the person has dependants, is married etc. It is subject to a statutory maximum (EUR 237 per week for those between the ages of 66 and 80 and EUR 247 for those aged 80+ in 2021).
- The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is taxable but if it is the only income it is unlikely that the individual will pay tax on it.
Legal Basis: Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005; Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 142 of 2007); Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011.