Pension age in 1970's?

ancuncha

Kind of a strange question,
What was the age you had to be in 1976 to be eligible to get the pension?

Just a debate going on whether my Grandfather got the pension before he died, if anyone knows you could help solve this!!

Water John

66 TMK.

amtc

No 65. And 60 for women

ancuncha

cool thanks

was it at 70 at sometime?

Balagan

ancuncha wrote: »

cool thanks

was it at 70 at sometime?

Yes, according to page 10 of this document link https://www.socialjustice.ie/sites/default/files/attach/publication/2899/2013-09-16-auniversalpensionforireland-finalfinal.pdf pension age was reduced from 70 to 66 sometime in 1970s but it doesn't say when, so doesn't help answer the question about your grandfather's eligibility in 1976.

Water John

My memory is playing tricks on me, on this.
Was it different for Contributory and Non Contributory?

Skatedude

But almost no man in my family has lived past 55, All dead long before then, not drink etc, just genetics, so why can't I get a pension earlier if It's statistically proven that we simply don't live long enough to reach pension age? My dad died of natural causes at 49.

Water John

Knew a man and his mother, both drawing the pension. He predeceased her.

The pension was originally designed, so that on average, it would only have to be paid out for a year or two.

Balagan

Balagan wrote: »

Yes, according to page 10 of this document link https://www.socialjustice.ie/sites/default/files/attach/publication/2899/2013-09-16-auniversalpensionforireland-finalfinal.pdf pension age was reduced from 70 to 66 sometime in 1970s but it doesn't say when, so doesn't help answer the question about your grandfather's eligibility in 1976.

Okay, qualifying age was 70 years up to 1973, after which it was gradually reduced to age 66 by 1977.

ancuncha

Balagan wrote: »

Okay, qualifying age was 70 years up to 1973, after which it was gradually reduced to age 66 by 1977.

This makes sense then, he was 66 when he died in 1976.
Two of my aunts/uncles think he wasn't eligible to get the pension and another thinks he was.

He had 5 heart attacks and a stroke (which was what finally got him) in the space of 5 weeks and the only think the doctors could do was tell him to rest, no tablets, no operations.
If it was modern day, imagine all the things they can do with a heart trouble!

Peregrinus

Skatedude wrote: »

But almost no man in my family has lived past 55, All dead long before then, not drink etc, just genetics, so why can't I get a pension earlier if It's statistically proven that we simply don't live long enough to reach pension age? My dad died of natural causes at 49.

You can't get a pension because you don't reach pension age.

Social insurance is an insurance scheme. There's a bit of a clue in the name. Once of the risks against which you are insured is living past working age, and therefore having to survive without employment income. The scheme provides a payout in this event in the form of a pension. As this risk tends not to befall the men in your family, they don't get a pension. It's a bit like, if your house never burns down, you don't get a payout on your fire insurance.

Another risk covered by the social insurance scheme is loss of income due to illness or disability. My guess would be that the men in your family would have a greater-than-average likelihood of receiving benefits under this aspect of the scheme.