You should apply for State Pension (Non-Contributory) 3 months before reaching age 66. If you are awarded a pension it will be paid from the Friday following your 66th birthday or the Friday following the date of receipt of your application.
Note:
A late claim could result in a loss of payment.
To apply, please complete application form SPNC 1, and send it with all necessary documents such as bank statements, pension payslips and correct certificates to:
Department of Social Protection
State Pension (Non-Contributory) Section
Social Welfare Services
College Road
Sligo
Tel:
LoCall: 1890 500 000
If calling from outside of the Republic of Ireland please call + 353 71 9157100
Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number)
You must give your PPS Number and the PPS Number of your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. You must also give us the PPS Number(s) for any child(ren) for whom you intend to claim a payment. If you do not know these numbers, please contact your local Intreo Centre or your local Social Welfare Office. They will let you know your PPS number. If you do not have one they will let you know what you have to do to get one.
For more information, log on to 'www.welfare.ie'.
Certificates to send with your application
When you apply for State Pension (Non-Contributory) you may need to send us in certificates if the birth(s), marriage, civil partnership or civil union took place outside the Republic of Ireland, such as:
- your birth certificate,
- your spouse, civil partner's or cohabitants birth certificate,
- your marriage certificate or civil partnership or civil union registration certificate,
- your qualified child(ren)'s birth certificate(s). Note: No birth certificate is needed if you are already getting Child Benefit for these children.
We do not accept photocopies of certificates.
If you are not able to get the certificate(s) immediately, you should send in your pension application form with a note stating that you will send the certificate(s) as soon as possible.
If you are sending in your certificates at a later date, please ensure that you quote your PPS Number. You will get this number automatically when we receive your application.
Note:
Please send in a letter from a school or college if you are claiming for a qualified child, aged 18-22 in full-time education.
Late applications
Please apply for your pension on time. If you make a late application you could lose some payment. However, we may backdate the award of the pension for up to 6 months before the date you applied if you have a valid reason for the delay.
In certain exceptional cases we may backdate the pension for periods greater than 6 months as follows:
- you failed to apply in time because of incorrect information given to you by our staff,
- you were so incapacitated that you were unable to make a claim or appoint someone to act on your behalf.
In all cases where we consider making a backdated payment, we must also be satisfied that your means entitled you to the payment for that time.
If you think that you may qualify for a backdated payment under any of the circumstances outlined above, please send us the details and any supporting documents.