Class S PRSI

Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions are deducted from your income and used to fund social welfare benefits and pensions.

Your rate of PRSI depends on your social insurance class.

If you are self-employed, you pay Class S PRSI. PRSI for self-employed people was introduced in 1988.

Who pays Class S PRSI?

People who pay Class S include:

• Farmers
• Professional people (for example, doctors, dentists, and solicitors)
• Certain company directors
• People in business on their own (sole traders) or in partnerships
• People with income from investments, rents, or maintenance payments
• Certain artists and childminders who are exempt from income tax

Employees who are also self-employed in a trade or profession pay Class S PRSI on that income, as well as their Class A PRSI contribution as an employee.

Read more about who is classed as self-employed on Gov.ie.

Class S contributions only cover you for a limited number of payments. In general, you are not covered for any short-term payments, such as illness and disability payments.

If you pay Class S contributions and you meet all the other conditions for the payment, you may be entitled to:

• Maternity Benefit
• Adoptive Benefit
• Paternity Benefit
• Parent's Benefit
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Contributory)
• Treatment Benefit Scheme
• Invalidity Pension
• Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed)
• Guardian's Payment (Contributory)
• Benefit payment for 65 year olds
• Partial Capacity Benefit

Read more about PRSI for the self-employed in the Department of Social Protection’s leaflet (pdf).

Class S PRSI and State Pension (Contributory)

You cannot claim your State Pension (Contributory) until all outstanding payments have been made.

If owe Class S PRSI contributions, your State Pension (Contributory) will only be paid from the date that you have paid:

• All outstanding contributions, and
• Any outstanding income taxes in full

From 1 October 2024, you pay Class S PRSI of 4.1% (up from 4%) on your total income for tax purposes. Your total income is your gross income less allowable expenses.

From 1 October 2024, you must pay 4.1% of your total income or €650 (up from €500), whichever is greater.

If you pay PRSI through the Revenue self-assessed system, a blended or proportionate rate of 4.025% or minimum payment of €537.50 will apply on 2024 self-employed annual income due to the change of rate on 1 October 2024.

If you have been told by an Inspector of Taxes that you do not need to make a tax return, but you earn more than €5,000 in a year, you pay a flat rate contribution of €310 to the Department of Social Protection.

If you earn less than €5,000 from self-employment in a year, you are exempt from PRSI, but you may pay €500 as a voluntary contributor (if you meet the other conditions). On 1 October 2024, the minimum contribution increases by €150 to €650.

If you help your spouse or civil partner with running the family business, but you are not their employee, you pay Class S contributions. Read more about employing family members and PRSI.

If you are self-employed, you pay Class S social insurance contributions directly to Revenue, when you send in your tax returns for the year.

Revenue then pays the money into the Social Insurance Fund, and sends a record of the contributions you have paid to the Department of Social Protection.

You can request a copy of your complete PRSI record online at MyWelfare.ie. If you have difficulty using this online facility, you can contact the PRSI Records section for assistance (see 'More information' below).

Note that you pay Class S contributions in an annual payment for your full tax year. There is no mechanism for awarding credits for a full year or part of a year.

When you take up self-employment, you should tell Revenue that you are now self-employed and you wish to register for self-assessment. You can register with Revenue as a self-employed sole trader online.

Certain people can only register using the paper form: Form TR1 - Tax Registration form for Sole Traders, Trusts and Partnerships (pdf).

When you register for self-assessment with Revenue, you will automatically be registered for PRSI purposes with the Department of Social Protection.

You can also register as an employer for PAYE using Revenue’s online service, if you need to do so at this stage.

If you have questions about your PRSI, you can:

• Use Revenue’s online MyAccount and ROS services
• Contact the relevant area using the contact details on Revenue’s Contact us page (you may need to enter your PPS number to see the phone number)
• Make an in-person or virtual appointment with Revenue (if you have been unable to resolve your query online or over the phone)
• Visit a public Revenue office during opening times (if you have been unable to resolve your query online or over the phone and have not made an appointment)

You can also contact your local Intreo office, or your local Citizens Information Centre.