Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
1118. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding a person (details supplied) who was turned down for the State pension transition payment; and if the case will be reviewed. [18519/21]
View answerI introduced the new Benefit Payment for 65 year olds, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to provide a benefit payment for people who are aged 65 and who are required to retire, or who chose to retire, without a requirement to sign on, engage in activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. This new payment is designed specifically to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self employment at 65 but who don’t qualify for the State Pension until age 66.
The person concerned submitted an application for a Benefit Payment for 65 year olds with effect from 25/01/2021. This application was disallowed in writing on 04/03/2021 as the PRSI contribution conditions were not satisfied.
To be eligible for Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds a person must satisfy all the conditions for the payment:
- Be aged between 65 and 66 years
- Have ceased employment or self-employment
- Be resident in the Republic of Ireland
- Satisfy the contribution conditions
The contribution conditions are as follows:
First contribution condition: A person must:
- have paid at least 104 PRSI employment contributions at Class A, H or P
or
- Have paid at least 156 PRSI self-employment contributions at Class S
and
- have paid at least 39 PRSI employment contributions at Class A, H or P or have credited contributions in the Governing Contribution Year (GCY). (The GCY is the second last complete tax year. For example, for a claim in 2021 the second last complete tax year is 2019).
- Second Contribution Condition: A person must:
- have at least 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the GCY and 13 of these contributions must be paid
or
- have at least 26 reckonable contributions paid in both the GCY and the year immediately preceding the GCY.
If a person does not have 13 paid contributions in the GCY they must have the 13 contributions paid in any one of the following years:
- the two tax years before the relevant tax year
- the last complete tax year
or
- the current tax year
The last contributions notified to my Department refer to 2009 when 52 Class S PRSI contributions were recorded for the person concerned . This does not satisfy the contribution conditions of the scheme. The decision disallowing the claim may be appealed through the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
It is open to the person concerned to make an application for a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment. The quickest and easiest way to submit an application is online at www.mywelfare.ie. Alternatively the person concerned can apply through his local Social Welfare Branch Office in Athy.
Information about my Department’s schemes, including qualifying conditions, is available at www.gov.ie/DSP.
