At home parent - can't sign for credits

Luellen08

My contract ran out in July 2011 and I have a 9 month old baby. As a stay at home parent I cant sign on for credits unless I am actively looking for f/t employment. Does anyone know where on the revenue website I can find out info on this and my pension entitlements? Thanks, confused!

Moonbeam

Once you get childrens allowance you should be getting credits.

lolli

The Homemaker's Scheme can make it easier for homemakers to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory). If you give up work to look after a child under 12 years of age, or a disabled child, or adult, you can get credits from the date you give up work to the end of that contribution year. If you are out of the workforce for the complete contribution year the complete year is disregarded when you are assessed for a State Pension (Contributory).

In some cases people who are jobsharing may be eligible for homemakers credits if they are job-sharing to look after a child under 12 or a disabled child or adult.

Bodhran

Moonbeam wrote: »

Once you get childrens allowance you should be getting credits.

You don't get credits while claiming Child Benefit.

You may get credits for periods on:

Jobseeker's Benefit,
Illness Benefit,
Maternity Benefit (as an employee only),
Adoptive Benefit (as an employee only),
Health & Safety Benefit,
Invalidity Pension,
State Pension (Transition),
Carer's Benefit,
Prescribed Relative Allowance,
Jobseeker's Allowance,
One-Parent Family Payment,
Disability Allowance,
Injury Benefit,
Carer's Allowance.
You may qualify for credits if you take part in a:

Back to Education Allowance (Second and Third level option)
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
FÁS training course,
Fáilte Ireland (formerly known as CERT) training course,
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) training course, or
Teagasc training course.

Agent_99

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_insurance_prsi/homemakers_scheme.html


To be eligible for the Homemaker's Scheme, you must:

Permanently live in the State (except in cases where provisions under EU or posted worker regulations apply)
Be aged under 66
Have started insurable employment or self-employment on or after the age of 16 and before the age of 56
Not work full-time, however, you can work and earn less than €38 gross per week
Care for a child (under 12) or an incapacitated person on a full-time basis
Before 14 March 2005, you were required to live with the person you were caring for. Since 14 March 2005, if you are not living with this person:

A direct system of communication must exist between your home and the person being cared for, for example by telephone or alarm system and
The person being cared for must not be getting full-time care and attention within their own home from anyone else
The person being cared for must be so disabled or incapacitated as to need:

Continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to himself or herself
Or

Continuous supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with his or her normal personal needs
It's important to note that only one person can be regarded as the homemaker at any one time. If you stop being a homemaker and your spouse or civil partner takes up homemaking duties, you should notify the Department immediately to ensure there is no loss of entitlements under the Homemaker's Scheme.

amtw

Moonbeam wrote: »

Once you get childrens allowance you should be getting credits.

If you are in receipt of Child Benefit and fulfill all the other conditions you will get homemakers credits. It is worth pointing out that Child Benefit is automatically paid to the mother unless otherwise requested. If it is the father that is at home looking after the children then he must apply for the homemakers credits or get the CB transferred into his name.