Contributory State Pension Entitlement

[Firehead]

Hi all, I have found a wealth of information on this site in the past and am hoping for guidance on the following, my uncle will reach 66 next spring and is looking for help regarding his state contributory pension entitlement. I requested his record of PRSI contributions from Dept of Social Protection and the letter states that he has a total of 1418 contributions since entering employment in 1973. There was a gap in his contributions between 1979 and 1988, when he was not working "on the books" nor claiming social welfare, during this time it was a lot of "cash in hand" type laboring work as was somewhat the norm at that time. He worked in Northern Ireland from 1988 to 1997 (we have requested details from the UK regarding that pension entitlement also), and then returned to the South and has been in full time employment here since.

Anyone in the know, would the above scenario entitle him to the full state pension when he reaches 66 next spring. I have contacted various sections of the Dept of SP but advice is very vague to say the least!

 

[Conan]

Based on a total of 1418 contributions and a 50 year history (1973 to 2023) this gives an average of c28 contributions pa. This would entitle him to an 85% pension, so c€216 pa. If however he adds in his U.K. record, this will get him closer to the max Pension.
He should contact the SW Records Office in Buncrana, give them details of his NI employment (they will check with the U.K. Dept of Work and Pensions to confirm his record), and assuming everything checks out, they will add the two records together and work out what pension he will be entit led to.

 

[section4]

I have around 1331 contributions in Ireland , I was born in the Uk to Irish parents but came here in 1980, I stayed till 1983. Then went to the Uk until 1994 and have been living here since , and have circa 1331 contributions. Anyone any idea of what pension I am entitled to with this amount of contributions , thanks. I will be 66 this August

 

[NoRegretsCoyote]

He worked in Northern Ireland from 1988 to 1997 (we have requested details from the UK regarding that pension entitlement also), and then returned to the South and has been in full time employment here since.

He might be able to make voluntary Class 3 UK national insurance (NI) contributions backdated to 1997.

This would get him to 35 years for the full UK state pension at 67.

This would (in theory at least) be better than using those UK contributions to increase his Irish pension.