It is important that you note that you must have paid a minimum threshold of social security contributions for you to qualify for the Social Security Contributory Pension.
The amount of social security contributions that you must pay depend on your date of birth. These are presented in the Table below.
| Date of Birth | To Qualify for a Social Security Contributory Pension |
| 1952 - 1961 | You must pay 10 full years of social security contributions. A full year of contributory payments equates to 52 weeks of paid contributions. |
| 1962 - 1968 | You must have 12 years of social security contributions – of which a minimum of 10 years must be fully paid and 2 years can be credited contributions. |
| on and after 1969 | You must have 12 years and 16 weeks of social security contributions – of which a minimum of 10 years must be fully paid and 2 years and 16 weeks can be credited contributions. |