Credited Cotributions and Invalidity Pension

To get Invalidity Pension you must have at least:

• 260 (5 years) paid contributions since entering social insurance
• 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete tax year before the date of your claim

The last complete tax year is the year before your claim. For example, if you claim Invalidity Pension in 2011, the last completed tax year is 2010.
Medical criteria

A doctor employed by the Department of Social Protection will decide if you are medically unfit for work and qualify on medical grounds for Invalidity Pension.
To qualify you must:

• Have been incapable of work for at least 12 months and be likely to be incapable of work for at least another 12 months (you will probably have been getting Illness Benefit or Disability Allowance during that time)

Or

• Be permanently incapable of work (in certain cases of very serious illness or disability, you can transfer directly from another social welfare payment or from your job to Invalidity Pension).

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