Invalidity Pension Extended to Self-employed from December

Self-employed workers, including farmers, who cannot work due to long term illness or disability will be able to claim Invalidity Pension from 1 December 2017.

Invalidity Pension is a weekly pension payment for people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability. The current personal rate of payment is €198.50 per week. Increases may be paid also for a dependent adult (means-assessed) and dependent children.

Application for the Invalidity Pension is also open to self-employed people who are currently out of work through illness.

Do I qualify for Invalidity Pension?

From 1st December this year, to qualify for an Invalidity Pension from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, a self-employed person or employee must have:

• 260 PRSI paid contributions (Class A, E, H or S) since they started paying social insurance and
• 48 PRSI paid or credited contributions (Class A, E, H or S) in the last complete contribution year or the second last contribution year before the date of their claim.

For claims made during December 2017, the last complete contribution year is 2016 and the second last contribution year is 2015.
For claims made in 2018, the last complete contribution year is 2017 and the second last contribution year is 2016.

Invalidity Pension is paid as long as the person continues to satisfy the qualifying conditions.

On their 66th birthday, a person who is receiving Invalidity Pension will automatically transfer to the State Pension (Contributory). For those under age 66, the payment will discontinue if they get any other payment from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (except Disablement Benefit and half-rate Carer’s Allowance).

How much is paid under the Invalidity Pension?

The current personal rate of payment is €198.50 per week. Increases may be paid also for a dependent adult (means-assessed) and dependent children.

People who receive Invalidity Pension also receive the Department’s Free Travel Pass (this is not means assessed). Also, they may qualify for extra social welfare benefits, for example, the Household Benefits Package but this is means assessed.

Invalidity Pension is taxable.

Full details on the Invalidity Pension scheme are available here