Foreign Pensions less than Irish Norm

dootv

My wife, children and I have been in Ireland sixteen years and I retired last year. I now get part state pensions from three countries, Sweden, UK and Ireland. Unfortunately these fall about fifty euro under what we would get had we been in Ireland all our lives. Next year it will go down by an additional 29 euro when my daughter leaves uni, mahing the gap something like 320 euro per month. We are finding it a struggle living on this income and would like to know if it is possible to seek some kind of supplement from somewhere to bridge this gap.

mp22

Are you receiving a contributory or non-contributory Irish pension ?

dootv

Its a contributory one.

haveringchick

Submit an application for a non contributory pension just to see if you'd be any better off. You will have to re supply all evidence of income. You've nothing to lose

dootv

Thanks for that advice, its much appreciated. Yes, I'll do that, as you say, theres nothing to lose!

mp22

Have a read here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/older_and_retired_people/state_pension_contributory.html

look at If you have worked in Ireland and one or more EU states your social insurance contributions from each EU state will be added to your Irish social insurance contributions to help you qualify for a social welfare payment. More information about combining your social insurance contributions to qualify for a state pension is available.

also
Extra benefits

You are automatically paid an extra allowance of €10 per week when you reach 80 years of age. This increase is not paid to qualified adults.
The Living Alone Increase may be payable to people who live completely alone. You may also be eligible for other benefits. Find out more about medical cards, the Household Benefits Package and Fuel Allowance.

dootv

Thanks MP22. The Extra Benefits you mention I have been receiving. I think I was snookered with the Irish contributory pension because about half the time I have been in Ireland I was self employed, where the social welfare contributions are not recognised by the pensions department as contributing to one's retirement pensions entitlement.

mp22

Have a look here so,http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_insurance_prsi/class_S_prsi.html

dootv

Thanks. The decision that I received from the department with all the foreign and Irish contributions was quite frankly so incomprehensible that I don't really have any choice but to accept it. It seems as if all my UK, Swedish and Irish contributions have been shown but the formula for arriving at my reduced pension was so ridiculously complicated that it even defeats me and would probably need a four year degree course in logistics and operations analysis to understand it.

maryk123

If you are under the rate for your family size you can apply for supplementary welfare for a top up to bring you up to the proper rate.

Nichard Dixon

dootv wrote: »

Thanks. The decision that I received from the department with all the foreign and Irish contributions was quite frankly so incomprehensible that I don't really have any choice but to accept it. It seems as if all my UK, Swedish and Irish contributions have been shown but the formula for arriving at my reduced pension was so ridiculously complicated that it even defeats me and would probably need a four year degree course in logistics and operations analysis to understand it.

There must exist somewhere in the country a third party expert who can interpret this calculation for you. But I am not sure where is the best place for find such a person.

haveringchick

It's not terribly complicated at all.
Sligo requested the records of your insurance contributions from the other EU countries where you were employed.
Only certain classes of contributions are allowable. They then get an average of contributions per year to establish the rate of pension you are awarded.
You are on a reduced rate because there may have been periods where for whatever reason, you didn't make a contribution or the contribution you were making was insufficient for pension purposes.
You applied for an increase for your wife and she was means tested for that, in other words they examined her income and savings and if she is under 66 the maximum she could get is €153.30.
I think your getting less then that though.
As I mentioned before you should resubmit evidence of all your income and savings and I completed non con application form to see if you'd be better off.
Also be aware that when your wife becomes 66 she will enjoy a sharp increase or she could apply for a non con herself.
The only grounds you would have for appealing the con pension calculation is if you have evidence that you made contributions that have been omitted from the count.

haveringchick

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/claiming_a_social_welfare_payment/social_insurance_contributions_from_abroad.html

dootv

Thanks haveringchick, the kind responses from this board do give me some strategies I can follow. Guess the moral of the story is don't move around in your working life, equality in the EU is not what it's cracked up to be!