Payment for people who retire at 65

If you retire at 65, you may qualify for a benefit payment until you reach 66. At 66, many people will qualify for a State Pension.

To qualify for this benefit payment at 65, you must have stopped working and meet the social insurance (PRSI) conditions.

The payment is similar to Jobseeker’s Benefit, but you don’t need to be looking for work or sign on at your local Intreo centre.

It is taxed the same as Jobseekers Benefit.

To get the benefit payment for people aged 65, you must:

• Be 65 years of age
• Have stopped working this includes both employment and self-employment (some subsidiary employment is allowed – see below)
• Live in Ireland
• Satisfy the social insurance (PRSI) conditions

Social insurance (PRSI) conditions

If you were an employee, you must:

• Have paid at least 104 PRSI contributions at Class A , H or P

Or

• Have paid at least 156 PRSI contributions at Class S

And

• Have paid or credited at least 39 PRSI contributions at Class A, H or P in the Governing Contribution Year (a minimum of 13 weeks must be paid contributions*). If you don't have 39 PRSI contributions in the Governing Contribution Year, you can use 26 PRSI contributions paid in the governing contribution year and 26 paid in the year immediately before this.

*If you do not have 13 paid contributions in the governing contribution year, you must have paid 13 contributions in any of the following years:

• The current tax year
• The last complete tax year
• The 2 tax years before the governing contribution year

The Governing Contribution Year is the second-last complete tax year before the year in which your claim is made. So, for claims made in 2024, the Governing Contribution Year is 2022.

If you were self-employed, you must:

• Have paid at least 156 PRSI contributions at Class S

Or

• Have paid at least 104 PRSI contributions at Class A or H

And

• Have paid 52 PRSI self-employment contributions at Class S in the Governing Contribution Year.

You do not need to sign on at your local Intreo centre or actively look for work if you are getting this payment.

You can take up a course once you inform the Department of Social Protection. You can also continue in subsidiary employment.

Subsidiary employment

You can continue in subsidiary employment. Subsidiary employment is work that could be done while you were in full-time employment and outside your normal working hours. Not all work is considered subsidiary employment and there is a limit on how much you can earn. Find out more about the rules for subsidiary employment.

You may get an increase in your payment for an adult dependant and any child dependants you may have. You cannot claim an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) with your payment if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant has an income of over €400 a week. You get a half-rate IQC if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant earns between €310 and €400 a week.

You should apply at age 65 and not before.

You can apply for the Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds online at mywelfare.ie using a verified MyGovID account.

You can get a paper application form by emailing BP65forms@welfare.ie with your full name, address and form request. An application form will be posted to you. You can find more about requesting an application form.