Pension
This section contains details of the pension schemes administered by the Department.
State Pension (Transition) is a social insurance payment made to people reaching age 65, who are retired and who satisfy certain social insurance conditions. The pension (personal rate) is not means tested or affected by other income you may have such as an occupational pension. State Pension (Transition) was previously known as Retirement Pension.
State Pension (Contributory) is a social insurance payment made to people age 66 or over who satisfy certain social insurance contribution conditions. The pension (personal rate) is not means-tested or affected by other income you may have such as an occupational pension. State Pension (Contributory) was previously known as Old Age Contributory Pension.
The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 or over who do not qualify for State Pension (Contributory) based on their social insurance record. State Pension (Non-Contributory) was previously known as Old Age Non-Contributory Pension.
Widow's or Widower's Contributory Pension is a payment for widows and widowers who satisfy certain social insurance conditions based on either their own or that of their late spouse. It is not means-tested and so is not affected by other income you might have such as earnings, an occupational pension or a pension from your late spouse's employment.
This webpage is the scheme information page for Widow(er)'s Pension (Non-Contributory) Scheme which was published by the Department of Social and Family Affairs, Ireland.
Blind Pension is for blind people and certain people with low vision. To prove that you have low vision or are blind, you must be registered with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland. Otherwise, you must present an eyesight report from an ophthalmic surgeon or an optometrist that will satisfy the Department that you are blind or have low vision.
Invalidity Pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions.
People who leave the workforce for periods spent caring can have gaps in their insurance records which can affect their entitlement to a State Pension (Contributory) at age 66. The Homemaker’s scheme, introduced in April 1994, allows for periods spent providing full-time care to children up to 12 years of age or an incapacitated person to be taken into account for pension purposes. It does not provide social welfare payments while homemaking.