Irish Passport holder returning to Ireland after 30 years

ssbob

Hi Guys,

My Aunt moved to Boston in the late 70's but is now looking to return to Ireland. Before she left she has been working here for 10 or so years paying her taxes etc.

My question is would she be entitled to:

1. Any state assistance?(pension or otherwise)
2. Free public healthcare?
3. Would she have a PPS Number or would she have to apply for a new one?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Bannasidhe

ssbob wrote: »

Hi Guys,

My Aunt moved to Boston in the late 70's but is now looking to return to Ireland. Before she left she has been working here for 10 or so years paying her taxes etc.

My question is would she be entitled to:

1. Any state assistance?(pension or otherwise)
2. Free public healthcare?
3. Would she have a PPS Number or would she have to apply for a new one?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My understanding is that once she is resident in the State she should be entitled to a non-contributory old age pension plus medical health card.
If she worked here in the 70s she would have had some form of social security number - these have often been 'converted' into PPNS (or whtever the hell they are calling them now). The dept of Social Protection will sort that out.

ssbob

Bannasidhe wrote: »

My understanding is that once she is resident in the State she should be entitled to a non-contributory old age pension plus medical health card.
If she worked here in the 70s she would have had some form of social security number - these have often been 'converted' into PPNS (or whtever the hell they are calling them now). The dept of Social Protection will sort that out.

Thanks for that, how long would it take her to become resident in the state? Even though she is an Irish passport holder, she has not lived here since 1978 or something ridiculous like that.

Also she is not quite at retirement age, would she be entitled to disability benefit(terminal illness) even though she has not paid any stamps?

I have sent an e-mail to the Dept of Social Welfare but heard nothing back yet.

snubbleste

She'd have to satisfy Habitual Residency rules, which could be up to 2 years. I don't know what she'd be entitled to.

Bannasidhe

ssbob wrote: »

Thanks for that, how long would it take her to become resident in the state? Even though she is an Irish passport holder, she has not lived here since 1978 or something ridiculous like that.

Also she is not quite at retirement age, would she be entitled to disability benefit(terminal illness) even though she has not paid any stamps?

I have sent an e-mail to the Dept of Social Welfare but heard nothing back yet.

I know that the Social Welfare have been unhelpful - to put it mildly - with returnee citizens and the residency rule.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1028/1224282143695.html

It would be worth her while to contact an advocacy/legal advice group.

Plazaman

The fact she has been out of the country for so long means that the Habitual Residency Condition would have to be fulfilled regardless of Nationality, Passport etc.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW108/Pages/1WhatistheHabitualResidencecondition.aspx

Lugh Ildanach

It will take at least 2 years to be considered habitually resident, but even after that under the current rules, if she does not have a work history since returning to Ireland, she will find it difficult to EVER be considered habitually resident. If they think she has come returned to benefit from the welfare payments she will get nothing.

cee_jay

Lugh Ildanach wrote: »

It will take at least 2 years to be considered habitually resident, but even after that under the current rules, if she does not have a work history since returning to Ireland, she will find it difficult to EVER be considered habitually resident. If they think she has come returned to benefit from the welfare payments she will get nothing.

Not necessarily. There are cases that would be considered habitually resident. However, it will be more difficult to prove habitual residence the shorter someone has been in the country. She will need to show termination of all ties in the country she is currently in (such as selling house/terminating a lease, closing bank account, etc.).

OP if your aunt is considering moving home permanently, perhaps she should look at contacting Safe Home Ireland. They will be able to assist with the move, and documentation for Social Welfare and could advise more on the HRC condition and returning emigrants.

She will also have to apply for a PPS number - her old insurance number will no longer be valid. To apply for PPS she will need 2 forms of ID (passport/driving licence/long form of birth certificate) and proof of address.

mrsbyrne

Bannasidhe wrote: »

My understanding is that once she is resident in the State she should be entitled to a non-contributory old age pension plus medical health card.
If she worked here in the 70s she would have had some form of social security number - these have often been 'converted' into PPNS (or whtever the hell they are calling them now). The dept of Social Protection will sort that out.

nobody is "entitled" to a non contributory pension regardless of their circumstances.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_non_contributory.html

Anyone of age is entitled to apply but they will be meanstested and will have to fulfill the Habitual Residence Condition.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_assistance_payments/residency_requirements_for_social_assistance_in_ireland.html

mp22

Bilateral social security agreements

Ireland has entered into bilateral social security agreements with Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, Japan and Quebec (which has a separate system from the rest of Canada). These agreements are broadly similar and they generally provide that social insurance paid in Ireland and the other country can be combined to help people qualify for old age and retirement pensions. Again, in general, the method of calculation is similar to the EU rules

from here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_contributory.html

mrsbyrne

mp22 wrote: »

Bilateral social security agreements

Ireland has entered into bilateral social security agreements with Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Austria, Japan and Quebec (which has a separate system from the rest of Canada). These agreements are broadly similar and they generally provide that social insurance paid in Ireland and the other country can be combined to help people qualify for old age and retirement pensions. Again, in general, the method of calculation is similar to the EU rules

from here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_contributory.html

this will only apply to this returning emigrant if she :
A. Is 66 years or over
B. Has been working and paying social insurance in the US.