Homemaker's Scheme

The Homemaker's Scheme can help you qualify for the State Pension (Contributory) if you are a man or woman who cares full-time for:

• A child under age 12, or
• An ill or disabled person aged 12 or over.

How does it work?

To qualify for the State Pension (Contributory), you may need a certain number of yearly average PRSI contributions between starting work and reaching pension age.

But, with the Homemaker’s Scheme, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) can ignore up to 20 years you spent as a homemaker after 6 April 1994. The DSP calls these your ‘Homemaking years’.

This can help you to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) or get a higher rate of pension.

You must have 520 paid contributions when you reach pension age to use the Homemaker's Scheme to calculate your State Pension (Contributory).

Can I swap my ‘homemaker’ status with my spouse?

Only one person in the home can be a homemaker at a time.

If you stop being a homemaker and your spouse or civil partner takes up homemaking duties, you should tell the Department of Social Protection (DSP) immediately. This is to make sure there is no loss of entitlements under the Homemaker's Scheme.

You qualify for the Homemaker’s Scheme if you:

• Have previously been employed or self-employed (you must have at least one paid contribution before your first homemaking period)
• Do not work full-time while caring (you can do part-time work with gross weekly earnings of less than €38, or be self-employed with a yearly income of less than €5,000)
• Are aged over 16, and under pension age
• Care full-time for a child under 12, or for an ill or disabled person
• Permanently live in Ireland (except in cases where provisions under EU or posted worker regulations apply)
• Are not living in a hospital, convalescent home, or other similar institution

Caring for someone aged 12 or over

Before 26 October 2000, you had to live with the person you were caring for.

Now, you don’t have to live with the person you care for if:

• You have a direct system of communication with them, for example, a phone or alarm system, and
• The person does not get full-time care and attention within their own home from anyone else.

To qualify for the scheme, the person you care for must be so disabled or incapacitated that they need either:

• Continuous supervision to avoid danger to themself, or
• Continuous supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with their normal personal needs (such as getting around, eating, drinking, or dressing).

Time spent on holidays

You can take holidays abroad of 2 to 3 weeks, without this affecting your homemaker status.

Time spent in hospital

If you, or if the person you care for, is having medical treatment in a hospital (or other treatment in an institution) for up to 13 weeks, you are still regarded as providing full-time care.

Time spent in rehabilitation or day care

You are still regarded as providing full-time care and attention if the person you care for attends either:

• A non-residential course of rehabilitation training, or
• A non-residential day care centre approved by the Minister for Health.

A ‘homemaking year’ is any year in which you are out of the workforce for the full tax year. Only a full year can be disregarded.

The Department of Social Protection (DSP) can disregard up to 20 homemaking years when calculating your State Pension (Contributory).

Homemaker’s credits

If you are a homemaker for part of a year (either at the start or the end of your homemaking period), you can get credited contributions:

• From the date you become a homemaker, to the end of that tax year
• From the start of your final year as a homemaker, to the date you stop homemaking.

Example of a person’s insurance record using the Homemaker’s Scheme

Mary left the workforce in 1997 to care for her newborn child.

The child:

• Was born on 10 November 1997, and
• Had their 12th birthday on 10 November 2009.

So, Mary’s homemaking period is from 10 November 1997 until 10 November 2009.

You can get Child Benefit and still be considered a homemaker if you are out of the workforce and not getting credited contributions from the Department of Social Protection (DSP).

Carer’s payments

If you get Carer’s Allowance and are not entitled to credits under that scheme, you may be entitled to have homemaking years taken into account for the State Pension (Contributory).

If you get the Carer’s Support Grant, you may be entitled to have homemaking years taken into account for the State Pension (Contributory).

Illness-related payments

If you are getting Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit, you must get a medical certificate to show that you can provide the required care.

If you think you qualify for the Homemaker’s Scheme, you should:

• Fill in the ‘Pension Caring Support’ application form
• Gather your supporting documents (such as birth certs and medical certs)
• Send your application and supporting documents to the ‘Pension Caring Support Section’ of the DSP (see postal address under ‘More information’ below).

The Pension Caring Supports application form is available online on MyWelfare.ie. You will need a verified MyGovID account to apply online.

You can also email pensioncaringsupports@welfare.ie or LoCall 0818 690690 for an application form.

When to apply for the Homemaker's Scheme

You should register as a homemaker before the end of the contribution year, after the year in which you first become a homemaker.

For example, if you first become a homemaker in 2024, you should apply for the Homemaker’s Scheme before the end of 2025.

Late claims

Your application may be backdated if you can prove you met the qualifying conditions during that time, and that there was good reason for your delay in making the claim.

You can read detailed information about the Homemaker's Scheme on Gov.ie.

When applying to be registered as a homemaker, send your application form and supporting documents to: