Homemaker's Scheme

Information
Rules
How to apply
Where to apply

Information

The Homemaker's Scheme makes it easier for a homemaker to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). A homemaker is a person (male or female) who gives up work on or after 6 April 1994 to care for a child (under 12) or someone who has a disability.

Changes to the Homemaker's Scheme

Currently when you reach pension age any years spent as a homemaker are ignored when working out your yearly average contributions for a State Pension (Contributory). A credit-based system is under consideration but no date has yet been set for implementation. The new system will grant credits for time spent homemaking.

Rules

To be eligible for the Homemaker's Scheme, you must:

Permanently live in the State (except in cases where provisions under EU or posted worker regulations apply)
Be aged under 66
Have started insurable employment or self-employment on or after the age of 16 and before the age of 56
Not work full-time, however, you can work and earn less than €38 gross per week
Care for a child (under 12) or an incapacitated person on a full-time basis

Before 14 March 2005, you were required to live with the person you were caring for. Since 14 March 2005, if you are not living with this person:

A direct system of communication must exist between your home and the person being cared for, for example by telephone or alarm system and
The person being cared for must not be getting full-time care and attention within their own home from anyone else

The person being cared for must be so disabled or incapacitated as to need:

Continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to himself or herself

Continuous supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with his or her normal personal needs

It's important to note that only one person can be regarded as the homemaker at any one time. If you stop being a homemaker and your spouse or civil partner takes up homemaking duties, you should notify the Department immediately to ensure there is no loss of entitlements under the Homemaker's Scheme.

Homemaking years

A homemaking year is a year in which you are out of the workforce for the full tax year. Up to a maximum of 20 homemaking years can be disregarded for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.

Homemaker's credits

Homemaker's credits are awarded up to the end of the contribution year during which someone becomes a homemaker. If the person stops being a homemaker during the contribution year, homemaker's credits are awarded up to that date.

How to apply

Registering as a homemaker

You should register before the end of the contribution year after the year in which you first become a homemaker. For example, if you become a homemaker between 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012, you should register before 31 December 2013.

Along with your Homemaker's registration form (pdf), you will need to provide:

Your long birth certificate
The long birth certificates of all the people you are caring for in your household

Birth certificates for social welfare purposes are available from the General Registers Office or from your local Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages for €1. If you are unable to get the certificate(s) immediately, you should send in your claim with a note stating that the certificate(s) will be sent in as soon as possible.

You do not need to register if you:

Are getting Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or the Respite Care Grant
Are getting Child Benefit and are providing the child(ren) with full-time care

(You do not need to register because your claim for Child Benefit, Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or the Respite Care Grant is treated as an application to be registered as a homemaker. This information is noted automatically on your insurance record).

Where to apply