Pension - my mother is not entitled?

D

Declan87

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Good evening,

I have a query that you may be able to help me with- my 74 year old mother can’t get a pension of any description because she didn’t have enough stamps put on as she gave up work in her early 30’s to raise a family. Her husband is a retired, therefore they have to live on his pension, they are entitled to no fuel allowance etc. With the cost of living they are struggling to make ends meet.
It’s an absolute disgrace that a couple who never worked a day in their life, claimed social welfare have more money coming into the house than my parents (my father worked all his life & my mother worked from age 14 to her early thirties).It’s such an unfair system. She has applied but keeps getting told no she’s not entitled.
Is there anything that can be done about this or can someone point me in the right direction?

Kind Regards,
Concerned Son.
 
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Ignoring your unpleasant political rant, if your mother worked from age 14 to her early 30’s, she should have more than enough stamps for a partial contributory State pension.

She can also claim credits for up to 20 years when raring children.

How many stamps are DSP saying she has?
 
Declan87 said:
Good evening,

I have a query that you may be able to help me with- my 74 year old mother can’t get a pension of any description because she didn’t have enough stamps put on as she gave up work in her early 30’s to raise a family. Her husband is a retired, therefore they have to live on his pension, they are entitled to no fuel allowance etc. With the cost of living they are struggling to make ends meet.
It’s an absolute disgrace that a couple who never worked a day in their life, claimed social welfare have more money coming into the house than my parents (my father worked all his life & my mother worked from age 14 to her early thirties).It’s such an unfair system. She has applied but keeps getting told no she’s not entitled.
Is there anything that can be done about this or can someone point me in the right direction?

Kind Regards,
Concerned Son.
Click to expand...
Assuming your father’s pension is a contributory statement pension, he should be receiving an allowance in respect of his wife. If his wife were to qualify for a pension in her own right, he could no longer claim for her.
 
Dear Concerned Son

You are going to have to provide a lot more info if you want clear directions:
  • What is the nature, source and amount of the pension/pensions your mother’s husband is receiving ?
  • In what country did your mother’s husband work ?
  • In what country did your mother work ?
  • Is either your mother or her husband currently (or have they been in the past) in receipt of any social protection payment ?
  • Has your mother obtained details of her Social Contributions Record and if so can you provide these ?
  • Can you summarise all and any incomes and the value of any assets that your mother and her husband have ?
  • For clarity (and not for any prurient reason) is your mother’s husband and your father one and the same, or two different persons ?
Kind Regards
 
I'm wondering after almost a week of radio silence by the OP if it was help he was looking for or just to sound off. Either way it's bad form to join a forum, post a question and then vanish.
 
Not vanished just trying to get my information in order before I post again as I don’t want certain people making silly comments.
 
@Declan87 is getting some bad press here. You don't have to be a psychologist to see that he is frustrated with aspects of our Social Welfare system. The world looks different from where each of us is standing. If you are financially comfortable it's likely you'll not have the same perspective as somebody surviving from meal-time to meal-time.

Back in the 1950's. 60's, 70's and into the 80's many women were forced to give up work on marriage. They had no say and just had too bite the bullet and sacrifice themselves physically and mentally. Many of them turned to child minding in their homes where they were paid usually a measly amount with no holiday pay or bank holiday allowance whatsoever. Others worked in local shops on a casual basis and received a brown envelope at the end of each week and accrued no Social Welfare stamps. Needless to say, very few of other women qualified for a "Social Welfare Stamp" either. When the Social history of the tie is recorded it is likely that these women will not get their due recognition.

Years down the line, they qualify for very little and now as before are reliant on their husband's pension. If her husband dies she can apply for a Non Contributory Widows Pension. It will be means tested to the Nth degree and believe me the Dept of Social Welfare will process a case to pay her the least amount.

@Declan87 is probably a good street-cred guy looking at unentitled payouts during Covid, scams on our Welfare system and much downright abuse of the Social Welfare system and elsewhere anyway.

Perhaps @Declan87 could be a little more discerning, but that would not reflect his obvious frustration.
 
Just to correct one point that Leper made, if the lady's husband dies and he was in receipt of a Contributory State Pension, then the lady can apply for a Contributory Widow's Pension based on her husband's PRSI record.
No "nth degree" means test required.
 
gipimann said:
Just to correct one point that Leper made, if the lady's husband dies and he was in receipt of a Contributory State Pension, then the lady can apply for a Contributory Widow's Pension based on her husband's PRSI record.
No "nth degree" means test required.
Click to expand...
Thanks @gipimann, you are right and made a good point, but with one exception:- if the lady's husband worked in the PS/CS and died she may apply for the Non Contributory Widows Pension only and it is means tested. Small point, but can be of interest to some depending on when they joined the CS/PS.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if somebody looking in on this thread is a trifle confused. That would not be unusual. But, if you think you or your parents or family member or anybody are entitled to some sort of Social Welfare Award, do the right thing and apply. The application might not be successful, but if there is something else for which there is entitlement the Dept of Social Welfare staff must inform you and in the case of borderline decisions the practice now is to award. No harm there.

Thank God! It's a far cry from the days when I used to refer to people in my grade Clerical Officer as Clerical Prevention Officers where we were pressurised just look for items which would prevent approval of the potential award.
 
A person in the PS/CS spouse would be entitled to Contributory Widows Pension. The reduced PRSI stamp for employees pre 95 cover this.
 
Leper said:
Declan87 is probably a good street-cred guy looking at unentitled payouts during Covid, scams on our Welfare system and much downright abuse of the Social Welfare system and elsewhere anyway.
Click to expand...

If you (or anyone else) have/has any credible evidence of such abuses, then believe me, the Department of Social Protection (and/or the Revenue Commissioners) would be delighted to hear from you. They are every bit as disgusted at the waste of taxpayers' money as you are.
 
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